The Legend of Three
by kei-v3
Summary: A whole mythological old-monarchy Japanesque AU. The truth of Akira's life will be revealed as one particular boy came to his life. With all the things tangled in their life as they cross paths, what choices will they take? Hikaru x Akira [update Jan 26, 2013: An Author Note]
1. The Wind of Beginning

**Disclaimer**

**Hikaru no Go isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, the original idea isn't mine. I only add up the spices and hoping the taste would come out delicious.**

* * *

Amidst the green surroundings of Middle East, one figure came out from the shadow of the trees. His clothes were dull and worn-out. His face which was hidden by the shadow seemed so pale. But when he was coming out to the light and smiling, no one will notice that dull, neither that pale. No, anyone would have felt the change in the atmosphere as fast as the cloud blown by the wind, so that the sun wouldn't be hidden anymore. The sun-colored bangs framed his face and the black hair, tied by a white tie and blown by the wind, was only complimenting it all. His eyes were big and green, reflecting a mysterious, unknown dark-green somewhere.

He then touched a noticeable red earring on his left ear and the smile was even brighter.

"At last… I came here… Sai…"

The last phrase of the sentence was carried by the northern wind.

* * *

_It was dark, cloudy, and stormy night when he was born. _The wind was strong than never was nature had showed before or after, and the rain was terribly strong, becoming more and more like raging squall by every second. The howling sound filled the air and houses kept crackling until they could be heard by the entire kingdom. The rich forest was participating by shaking its every leaves. Every single animal was nervous and hiding at their safe, warm nests. And every person in the land entered their houses and prayed to the Ryuu-ou, he-who-controlled the wind and the rain.

Touya Akiko didn't give birth to his son by ease.

It was long hours for her husband, Touya Kouyo, who was waiting for her and their coming son in the same room. A night before he had a very strange dream. He didn't remember it, but he knew that dream was very important, and it had something to do with his soon-to-be son. He knew very well that the power to change the weather or to lessen the pain his wife endured was well within his hands, but he didn't do anything to interfere. He didn't dare to, because as well as he knew how far his power could make the difference, even the single bits could alter one's destiny. And it could very well be his son's, as it was signed by the feeling he had after his previous dream.

So he was just silently watching and ordered the same for his wife's mother, who was there to help the birth, some of his students who helped guarding the front door, and his shikigamis.

However, a man suddenly came that night. Dressed in onmyou-styled clothes, that man was very beautiful. But Touya Kouyou couldn't feel his presence neither sense his aura; it was like a ghost from netherworld. No one knew where he came from, who he really was, or even why he came in the first place. It was even just a vague memory of Touya Kouyo's, and he strongly suspected that he only remembered because of his expertise and the power of his magic, because no one remembered anyone coming. As one of the strongest onmyouji in his time, he should have felt if someone or something from the Spirit world appeared. But he didn't feel anything about the gate to that otherworld being formed, or vanished. The stranger became more mysterious as the time went by.

Touya Kouyo still thought about it sometimes, but the more he thought of it, the more he couldn't grasp the memory. All he knew that right after the appearance, the process was quick and blurry. The baby was born, and the sound of baby's cry was exhilarating. The younger woman in that room was exhausted from the pregnancy, but she was content to bear with it and very, very happy to at least held her son at her own hand.

At that time, nobody realized that the beautiful man had gone, or that the storm had stopped. But they somehow were astonished by the moonlight, shining to the newborn baby, and the brightest stroke was shining right at the balling hands on his chest.

No one opened those hands – as no one could be – for days. But when they could check it at last, in it was a soft colored stone, like the color of moonlight. Only the insides always move in green and blue shades. Many believed it was caused by the light, but some people noticed that it was like a storm. Like the storm from that night was trapped inside the ball. Touya Kouyo placed that stone on a threaded pocket and always put it around his son's neck.

_Akira never knew the story of his birth, though._

* * *

Touya Akiko knocked the wooden part of the door. The night had been warmer than the previous months of winter, and the moonlight was shining brightly. In this middle of the night, everyone should be asleep by now, but not her dear son.

There was no answer from the room she knocked, so she knocked again and called, "Akira-kun?"

She could hear the sound of movement, then the door was sliding open, revealing the person behind it. "Mother?" the person whose face she knew so well appeared.

"Yes, Akira-kun," while excusing herself, she stepped inside. "It's already midnight. Why don't you rest?"

"Just a little longer, Mother. I promise I won't wake up late, but I need to read more…" Akira shifted his eyes, stubbornly. His voice trailed off.

Akiko sighed. "You and your father. Both of you are always drowning in the book and magic practices. Hh…" She sighed and shook her head in an affectionate disbelief.

Akira only smiled hearing his mother's comment. He couldn't deny it anyway.

And then his mother placed both of her hands on Akira's cheeks. "Well, then. Just remember to rest once awhile, alright?"

Akira touched the hand on his right cheek softly. He smiled. "Yes, Mother."

"Remember to have enough, or I will forbid you to read scrolls again if you drop sick, alright?" Touya Akiko returned her son's smile and gave him her last message before stepping out the room. Both men in her life sure were stubborn, and she knew it too well, so she didn't even bother to persuade her son. "Akira sure is growing these past 16 years…" she hummed. She recalled the time when their eyes were still at the same line, comparing to the difference now, and closing the door to the study room Akira had been using.

These oh-so-familiar thoughts made her a bit lonely.

* * *

Akira still felt the lingered warmth on his cheek. He sighed. He knew that his mother was worried of his workaholic behavior lately, but he couldn't help it. Not now, when those scrolls' content was getting more intense.

Now that Akira thought about it, his family had always been onmyouji as far as the family history recorded. Also, the current head of the family, his father himself, was a Meijin, one of the highest ranks in magic world. His family also practically lived in a temple, on a hill at the east side of the Palace.

About a month ago, he already finished the basic and advanced shikigami test by his father. It was a bit hard to materialize the shikigami into another shape aside from that of human's, but he succeeded nonetheless. Before telling him what the next stage of his study was, his father, Touya Meijin, told him that he was having an important mission given by the Dai Tenno himself to check a strange occurrence in North-East. It seemed that a portal to the spirit world was opened, and it was a strange matter, since almost no portal was opened for the last decade. The only onmyouji who could deal with portal matter were an onmyouji at his father's level or had had the qualification to be at his father's level.

Then his father suddenly entrusted him to make the kekkai for the library, thus entrusted himself with the library. It wasn't like he never came to the library before, but it was so sudden that he became cautious. And then Touya Meijin told Akira to read the ancient scrolls about Ryuu-ou.

Came back to where he sat before, Akira looked at the pile of scrolls he had read and he hadn't read yet. The kanji and sentence forms were very old. And while he wasn't a stranger with those kanjis, he wasn't really familiar with it either. So even for a scroll at one meter's length, he needed at least three hours to completely read that. If only there were only short-length scrolls. Like, five meter scrolls were very common in compare with those.

The dim light from Glowing Stone imported from South was enough for him to continue his leisure in reading at night, not to mention the bright moonlight.

The moonlight. Akira loved the soft, _pale green _glowing of the moon, while reading. With the sound of bamboo pile knocking the stone in a beautiful rhythm, and water flowing, he could stand reading even for many nights, non-stop. But of course, his mother would never allow him to.

And he had lost count of the scrolls he had read.

He already concluded that according to many sources, Ryuu-ou could be associated with either the four guardians or the original three elder gods. And somehow, he believed the three ones deep in his heart more than the four guardians. He was fascinated by the Three's legends, but something was off. He could find a lot of scrolls about Ryuu-ou, as it was the most worshiped god in this land, and sometimes Kirin appeared, though not going too much into details. But Ho-ou was rather difficult to find.

He found a line that, "_The Ho-ou is often intimately associated with the Ryuu. The two are portrayed either as mortal enemies or as blissful lovers. When shown together, the two symbolize both conflict and wedded bliss._" But other than that, there were none related topics to the Ho-ou either. He didn't quite understand the reason, because if Ho-ou was so important with Ryuu-ou, then why was it so hard to find?

Even the line, "_portrayed either as mortal enemies or as blissful lovers, both conflict and wedded bliss_" was very confusing. How can one be portrayed as mortal enemies _and_ blissful lovers with another at the same time? He had been thinking about it, and only found himself in a stronger urge to know more about Ho-ou and Ryuu. Their connection. Their relation. Their part in the history and legends.

And then right before his mother knocked the door, he found one short scroll, about two meters long, with the two first large kanji representing "Ho-ou". He turned out so excited, somehow, and he was carefully opening the scroll, wanting to savor every word written on it.

"Ho-ou often represented fire, the sun, justice, obedience, and fidelity. Ho-ou appears very rarely, and only mark in the beginning of a new era. This mythical bird appears only in peaceful and prosperous times, and hides itself when there is trouble. As the herald of a new age, the Ho-ou descends from heaven to do good deeds, and then it returns to its celestial abode to wait a new era."

"In many respects, there are much confusion between Ho-ou and Suzaku."

He knew Suzaku, the guardian of South. Suzaku is the red bird and has a fire element, so it wasn't a weird thing they have so many resemblances.

"Ho-ou can sing in the sweetest musical melody in the five original harmonic notes, and it is said that their tune was the basis for ancient musical scale."

Sweet melody… Akira wondered how the melodies would sound like. He was so captivated in his thoughts to not realizing that the scroll had reached its end.

He sighed, and re-tied the scroll. How come that he was so captured by the Ho-ou? Although it was indeed suspicious, that the entity as large as Ho-ou came very rarely in the literature. Not to mention that it was so important in its relations with Ryuu-ou too.

Akira would like to research some more, but the image of his mother repeatedly showed up in his mind. He sighed contentedly with a hint of smile. He never wanted to disappoint his mother.

As he walked to his room after he built the kekkai for the library, the moon shone to Akira and he himself. His black hair reflected the green light, shining a beautiful dark green color.

But he didn't realise it.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

The dream was surreal.

"…"

The silhouette stood up before him. The air was tense.

"…-dono…"

He could feel the magic pressure the figure had. It was so strong he hardly breathed, rivaling his father's, whenever Touya Meijin opened his inner conscious.

"…Akira-dono…"

Akira felt the air scratched, pierced him like a thousand swords.

Who was this shadow?

The figure smiled, Akira could feel it. He could almost see the face...

..Almost…

The hair was long, and the ear… it had an earring pierced onto. And the lips were moving, shaping a word, or a name. Akira tried hard to listen.

"…Akira-dono…"

"Wake up, Akira-dono."

Akira brought back to the real world. He felt his body shaken repeatedly by someone. He moved his gaze to the left, where he felt a presence.

"…_Isora_?"

The young man sighed gratefully and smiled. "It's so rare for you to wake up this late," Isora added with a slight worry.

"I apologize. It was so rare too for me to dream like that," Akira answered, reassured the young man beside him.

"What was the dream about?" Isora asked as he gave the casual yukata for Akira to change.

For a while, Akira only exchanged the cloth he wore without talking.

"It was about…"

Isora waited patiently.

"I can't remember," Akira admitted as he tried to relive the dream.

Isora smiled as he helped Akira tied his obi. "Then it must be an important dream."

Akira chuckled and said, "Why did you say that?"

"Just a hunch… was what I wanted to say, but you won't be satisfied with that, right?" Isora said. Akira was done with the clothes, so he started to tidy the remaining clothes. "You still remember the image, but you don't remember the overall details. When the time comes, the prophecy or anything which had shown up in the dream would appear, but you won't remember where it came from. There'll be another time when you remember," he said mysteriously. And then Isora nodded to Akira. "The breakfast is almost ready. Your mother is waiting for you in the dining room," he said and then left.

Akira thanked Isora, and drowned in his own thoughts. He tried to remember the dream, but it was so vague. All he could remember was a shadow, with a presence of a very strong magical power, and a name voiced out.

Sai, yes, he thought it was the name.

_Sai…_

"Akira-kun, do you know that your father will come home soon?" asked Touya Akiko. She cleaned the plates and bowls which were already used for the breakfast.

Akira drank his warm green tea, and replied, "Is that true, Mother?"

"Yes," she answered without looking at her son, and started to wipe the dishes, "Last night a shikigami told me. Your father is on the way home," then she sighed and placed her right hand on her cheek before continued, "Why does he always use the manual way? It's not that hard to just warp into his own home, isn't it?"

Akira blinked. "Well, Father has always been strict to everyone. His pupil, his acquaintances, his family… but he is strict to himself the most," he said amusedly.

"But he is a member of the Council, isn't it? Surely he can use his authority to break some rules…" Touya Akiko knew that this conversation didn't go anywhere, but this pent up feeling inside her needed to be out, even if it was by whining to her only son.

Akira placed the now cold glass at the table. "I think the fact only make him even stricter to himself. Father always tells me not to misuse the magic, and reduce using it as much as I can, except for exercises. That's just the way he is."

"_Ara_… But he is also strict to you, his own son. He always pushed the importance of control with you…" the sound trailed off. Her face was turning up red; embarrassed for unclear reason, and hurriedly changed the subject, "Oh, the sun is already high. I have to tell one of the shikigami to repair the outer wall of the south side… I apologize. Excuse me, Akira-kun."

And after Akira nodded at her too, she went quickly, although not brashly. Akira left out one-two chuckles. Did his mother peek when he was practicing with his father?

He stood up and walked to the outside while thinking about control. Yes, his father always pushes the importance of control to him. Now when he thought about it, his father never this "pushy" to his own pupils, then why was he different? He sensed there were something more than just being father and son.

The door slid out and he was stepping at the outside when he realized that Isora was already waiting for him.

"Master," called Isora.

Akira frowned. Isora had been his subordinate for years, but Akira always thought that their relationship had grown into something which resembled brotherhood, or close family. Isora had never called him "Master" for years. It must be something very important. "What is it?"

"We have to talk in a quiet place."

Now that was weird. Akira thought the whole temple was quiet enough that one could hear a pin dropped in the opposite side of the temple. With naked ears.

As if being able to read what were in his master's mind, Isora added, "Where there could be no other ears or eyes."

Akira nodded, now considering his subordinate's words seriously. He looked at the man with his iconic sharp eye, "I understand. Let's enter the library. I'm putting up several layers of kekkai before we talk."

He walked first, and Isora followed him without making any noises. When they were reaching the library, he asked if Isora would enter before him; he had to put up the kekkai. Isora followed that without asking further questions, and entered the library.

Now, because the library was near the center of the house, it was not that far to the Tree. It was a big, hundreds years old tree. The branches resembled dragons, flying and reaching for the sky. And it was the center of all magic flow in this whole temple. Except for some technical issues, you have to build a kekkai to any part of the temple from this tree.

Akira stepped and reached the Tree. He placed his hand onto the Tree and closed his eyes.

He could feel it, as he opened his inner conscious, layer by layer, and seeing the flows. He could even feel the presence of a great, old spirit—although only pulsing silently and calmly—within the Kusanoki tree itself. After asking for permission by touching the tree's aura with his – and receiving none rejection, he began to build a kekkai repeatedly, strengthening the existing kekkai; imbued it with his own power. Within the tree, he also could sense any magical power—if existed—in the temple. There were several his father's shikigami. Some of them were sweeping at the front yard. Two of them were with his mother at the south.

…And a great presence was in the library. It had black-colored aura, and formed a human shape – the presence was so controlled it was so dense and thick black. Akira even predicted that the magical power was suppressed. He tried to ignore the fact for the time being, and started tilting his inner eyes upwards.

The sky was clear; there weren't many clouds, but it would be within several hours. The rain—not snow—was one of the signs of the coming spring; that, and several of his father's shikigami were heating the snow in the temple. They wouldn't do that before the air was filled with the change of a season's warmth. Too much energy would be wasted if there weren't enough warmth to be used at the melting process of the snow.

After the preparations, Akira walked to the library, and then shut the door close. He set up the light and sat down in front of the Isora. Isora had already been there, sitting politely with his feet folded and his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry it's a bit messy. I've been reading about Ryuu-ou," Akira started, knowing fully well that the person in front of him would not start a conversation.

Isora gave a small nod. "I know. Your father has consulted that to me first."

That was weird. He barely saw Isora talked to anyone except him, but his father had actually been consulting something with Isora? Furthermore, it was about him?

But Akira couldn't bring himself to talk or ask something about it.

When a few seconds have passed without neither of them starting a conversation, suddenly Isora opened his eyes and started talking.

"Master, I have to start from asking you a very important question."

"Go on," said Akira.

"Do you know who you really are?"

In the dim light, Akira said nothing. What was it with the sudden question?

"Alright, then, you didn't have to answer. Now the next question is: do you now who is the real me?" asked Isora, with such straight eyes.

Akira didn't hesitate to answer this one. "You are a person who has always been with me since I was little, claimed that you are my subordinate since I can remember, and serve me well," he replied. "But then, I often think about your look that never changes. It just like you are not…" he trailed off. The next words just didn't feel quite right to be openly voiced.

"That's because I'm not," said Isora. Akira gave him a puzzled look, almost could feel the smile in the other man's voice. "I'm not human."

Akira didn't seem to be surprised; he had felt it since a long time ago. He nodded. "I pretty much suspect that. But how did you get under Father's watch?"

"Once in a long, long time ago, Master told me that I shouldn't tell you this before you know by yourself. But many signs have appeared before you, calling and reaching the time which almost comes, and Master should be prepared…" Isora left it hanging, trailed off before continuing anything.

The heir of Touya family tried hard to remember. Akira shook his head and looked into Isora's eyes. Those eyes were like sea… similar to his own eyes – but when Akira's eyes was a poetic combination of sky blue, sea aquamarine, and moon green, Akira could practically _see_ the sea mirroring his subordinate's eyes – with the waves repeatedly slapped the shore, the white foams were formed, and the salty air...

Once again, he shook his head, tried to focus. "I couldn't recall that I have told you to do that before."

"You will remember, but I suppose it does not mean this exact time…" And suddenly, Isora smiled, "I came here when you were only several days old. I was supposed to come to you when you were born, but the magical power of the Council was a bit stronger than I thought. And I had to come without being noticed."

Akira wanted to ask what his subordinate meant, but he guessed that it was better to let Isora finished the story.

"And then, I arrived. At first, I thought I had to explain everything to your family, especially the representation, who was by any means your father. Not the whole thing, of course, only the proper basics. But when I met your father, they weren't necessary at all," he said, "Your father said that as long as I don't interfere with his duties as a father, he won't ask or disturb our relationship either."

_What duties Father has as a father? What is our relationship? _Akira tried hard to focus. But Isora said too many things at once. Too many familiar yet never unheard before things. They never touched this subject before. Scratch that, Akira never even knew Isora and his father had had any civil conversations before.

"I remember when I was younger; there are several occasions that I couldn't hold my tears any longer. You're the only one who could find me and somehow stopped me from crying any longer. I am grateful for that," said Akira, recalling any unique past events he shared with his guardian.

Isora smiled at that and said, "It is my duty. The sky turned into storm whenever you were crying."

"Yes. I wonder how such a coincidence always happens like that." Akira didn't notice the change of expression at the face of his subordinate, like Isora wanted to tell Akira something.

"The stone on your neck…" Isora said after swallowing whatever it was that he wanted to say at first.

Akira's hand reached the inner side of his yukata, showing the ever soft-glowing stone. "Oh… this? I remember it always glows brighter whenever I'm crying."

The hand on Isora's lap was clutching tightly, Akira noticed, as to assured himself. "Many people said that a very great storm was trapped inside and sealed by the stone."

"I believe that too. It's such a magical stone," Akira replied to that statement.

Isora was looking straight into Akira's eyes and said, "That is the fact, but not the whole truth. The truth is that the _stone_ was sealed by the storm. Because if it was not, the light would be too bright, as it was the Tide Jewel, one of undeniable signs that you are the-"

* * *

A young man walked in the outer south side of town.

"I'm hungry…" he growled. No, scratch that, _his stomach_ growled. He didn't have any money, but it was so hard to ignore his stomach's biological needs. It had been a few days since he ate anything proper.

The children in the road were playing cat and mouse, running after one and another. Their parents must have permitted for them to go outside because the weather was warmer than before.

The spring had come indeed.

Many people went outside to their rice fields and gardens to till the ground and sow the seeds. The whole surroundings were green, and some sakura buds showed in their trees' branches.

"Kyahahaha… a!"

BUMP!

The young man almost fell backwards, but he only lost his balance for a while and stood straight almost immediately.

"Gomen, ne… onii-chan, daijoubu?"

A little girl, couldn't be more than five, was something which disturbing his balance. He just wouldn't. Ever. Mention this to anyone.

"Aa… I'm alright," he said and smiled.

For a second, the girl was stunned by his smile. It was indeed beautiful, rivaling the morning sun peeking from eastern hills. Anybody would think that the sun was the one imitating his brightness, and not the otherwise.

Then he asked with a very pathetic face, "Little girl, do you have any fooooood…?"

And the "spell" was broken. The little girl now realised how dirty his clothes and his body and his face, how rusty his sandals, and how messy his hair was. She now cried, "Maaamaaa…!"

"Sh… sh… little girl, don't cry, ne?" His hand wanted to reach the girl to make her calm, but the girl ran away somewhere.

He sighed. Was his appearance that scary?

While thinking of that, he walked, once again to the even outer side of the town. He arrived in a small branch of river, and tried to wash up his dirty face. The mirror image from the river showed his face.

"Uwaaahh… so dirty… no wonder that little girl was screaming. Why not screaming from the first time she saw me, that's a question," he said to himself. He seemed to be used to talk to himself alone.

He washed the face, the hand, and the hair. He took the white tie off his hair, and then combed his hair by his own finger. It was a bit sticky, but for an instance it wasn't so messy anymore. He slipped a few of his sun-colored bangs behind his ears, and washed his face once more, brushed it harder than before.

In the exact time, his stomach growled again.

"Arrrghh… I want rameeeeennn! A bowl of hot ramen! Why can't I get even just that one! GAH!"

Then a face appeared before him.

But he already lost his consciousness.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

It was warm.

The sound of something knocked into wood in a rhythm was calming. Maybe a knife?

Slowly, he opened his eyes. His tongue tasted funny. It tasted like the smell surrounded him. Herbal. Ew.

He didn't know whether he voiced that "Ew" or what, but it seemed to be like that, since the sound of the knife stopped and a voice reached his ears, "Oh, you've woken up?"

He forcefully snapped his eyes open, and asked, "Where am I?"

"Um… you're at… the south district of Kyo. I found you unconscious near the bank of the small river. You're practically exhausted," a young man answered and began to cut something again.

"Oh, well…" He tried to rise and bring his body to wake up and positioned himself as he sat down, wincing from the dizziness in his head.

"What's your name? My name is Tsutsui Kimihiro."

He scratched the top of his head before answered, "Shindou. Shindou Hikaru."

"Shindou-kun. My father is a doctor, but he's out to a patient. So I'm replacing him," Hikaru jerked off to that statement, "Eheheh… don't worry, I'm experienced. And it's not hard to make a potion for relieving the stamina. But, I think what you really need the most now-"

Hikaru's stomach growled again. Tsutsui chuckled.

"-is food. Here," finished Tsutsui whilst giving Hikaru a bowl of rice gruel. "I'm sorry it's not ramen."

Hikaru shifted his body unconsciously, slightly embarrassed. "You heard that."

"Well, you practically yelled it."

Hikaru took a spoon of the white almost-liquid before his nose. It smelled like some herbal.

"I added some medicine," said Tsutsui like he knew what Hikaru was thinking about. Hikaru's eyes were fixed upon the food he was going to eat. He wanted to throw it away, but one's hospitality shouldn't be wasted.

"Gulp… Itadakimasu," Hikaru determined to be respectful.

He didn't expect it to be tasty. But it was. In no time he had emptied the bowl. Tsutsui took the bowl and gave him another one.

"It's great," Hikaru mumbled. The rice gruel slipped through his throat easily.

"Mom's recipe. I have some more, so eat until you're full."

Hikaru complied without hesitation.

Tsutsui only put the dishes somewhere in the kitchen. Maybe he would clean up later, Hikaru thought.

"Woah! Those are really nice, thanks!" chirped Hikaru.

"You're welcome. By the way, where do you come from?"

Hikaru used a small grass as a toothpick. Wait. Where did it come from? Hikaru looked at his side. Ugh. It was one of the herbs.

"I'm from southwest, near the mountain range. I was on my journey when I reached this town and passed out."

"Why don't you hunt a bird or a wild rabbit when you're in journey? There are plenty of them now that it's already warm," asked Tsutsui.

The two-tone haired boy looked at his hands. "I don't feel well to kill any animal with my own two hands."

"Do you only eat veggies and fruits?" Tsutsui asked.

"Of course not!" Hikaru barked, laugh touching his eyes and mouth's corner. "I love ramen. Beef, pork, chicken, miso, oh! The seafood one is unusual, but tasty, also…" and the list continued.

Tsutsui groaned softly, though ignored by Hikaru, until the glassed one lifted his left palm in front of Hikaru's face. "…okay, stop. I understand, there's no need to hear them all. So you can eat meat but you cannot kill for food," Tsutsui managed to extract Hikaru's list in a sentence. Hikaru nodded, looking at Tsutsui as he repositioned his eyeglass and asked, "Why do you come here? You're young yet travel alone this far. From mountain range in south to this Kyo is rather far, don't you think? Where's your family?"

"Whoa, whoa! That's too many questions at once!" Hikaru groaned. He looked at Tsutsui's fixated eyes and sighed. "Let me answer one by one," Hikaru sprawled his body on the mattress and started replying, "The Shindou is still in south, and I don't travel alone before these past months. There's a clan that worshiped Kirin took me on their journey, and when they reached a large river crossed our road, we took separate way. I can't imagine how your lithe body could took me up here too, so don't say I'm too young, okay?"

Tsutsui took and put up the glasses which fell down when Hikaru talked, and said, "I'm not the one who brought you up here! It's my friend Kaga, but he left before you regain your consciousness, and –"

"First!" cut someone, "You have a small body too, Stranger. Second! I don't remember you ever be my friend, Tsutsui, and third! Never demand me to search some medicinal herb again with your poor drawings!" the one who came thundered and thumped a piece of paper against Tsutsui's chest. It almost fell down, but Hikaru reached it.

And he looked at the picture in it. Some abstract lines from ink were splattered across the paper, forming supposedly branches and leaves. The abstract ones. "Err… what is this?"

"It's this one fool's drawings. And he wished me, the Great Kaga, to find an herb like this! How can it be! I need thousands of lucks before I could find it!"

"Kaga, you've met Shindou Hikaru, and Shindou-kun, this is Kaga," said Tsutsui, introducing each other.

Kaga grunted, "I've met! You mean I've wasted my energy to bring him here!"

Hikaru chose to ignore the protest and offering his bright smile to the redhead, "Thanks! You've helped me!".

"...well." Kaga's mood seemed better when he opened his paper fan and used it at himself. "I accept your gratitude."

"Shindou-kun, where will you stay in this town?" asked Tsutsui, who practically ignored the presence of Kaga, back into focusing on the new stranger in his house. Not that it was rare.

"I don't know," Hikaru shrugged.

"Eh? I thought you already… Don't you have any relations here?" Tsutsui asked again.

Hikaru shook his head, "Nope. It's the… first… time I've been here."

_Something's off_, Tsutsui thought. _He seems hesitating for a while before said "first". If that's the case, well then…_

"Why don't you stay here? You don't have to pay. You're still my patient anyway," said Tsutsui.

"Eh? Can I! Thank you so much!" Hikaru shouted happily, pulled Tsutsui's hands and moved it up and down. Tsutsui smiled it off and told him that it was fine.

Kaga bent closer to Hikaru and whispered, "Be careful. You're the first patient Tsutsui ever had, and it seems that he wants to do his experiments to you."

"Eeeehhh!"

"Kaga!" Tsutsui shouted, blushed to his hair roots.

Hikaru laughed gleefully.

It was peaceful.

* * *

Someone knocked at the door.

It interrupted whatever word Isora almost told Akira. Akira gulped; looked almost like he just came back from a Trance. Like his soul had been wandering off somewhere before whoever the one knocking cut the vision.

Akira sighed and braced himself to speak. "Yes?"

"Akira-kun?"

Oh, it was his mother.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Ogata-sensei has come to wait for your father, who will arrive at a couple hours," said the voice behind the door. "He said he wanted you to be his company before your father arrives."

Isora touched Akira's hand before saying, "We shall talk later."

Akira nodded and faced the door again, "Alright, Mother. I'll go to the guest room in a few minutes."

"Alright, then I will go see the southern walls again."

"Thank you, Mother."

"You're welcome, dear," said Touya Akiko. Then the voices of footsteps were fading away.

When Akira looked back to see Isora, the young man had long gone, leaving the library empty except for Akira and his scrolls.


	2. The Wind of Peace

**Disclaimer**

**Hikaru no Go isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, the original idea isn't mine. I only add up the spices and hoping the taste would come out delicious.**

**Special thanks to KianaRia, Masked Reflection, serenamoonrose, and priestessmykala.**

**Even more special thanks to Pokematic7. And lovely Cross. Truthfully.  
**

And many, many thanks belong to people who have this story on their Alert. But guys,** please review first**. I want to know about your thoughts! Even if it is just one or two words. (Well, the more the merrier. )

Now I just have to stop rambling.

**...**

**...**

**...**

* * *

_The coming mist from the Eastern Sea was the signal of the beginning of ritual_.

Several days ago, the preparation had been enough. Some kind of action must be prepared before an onmyouji could close an illegal portal.

A portal is a door between human world and the realm of spirit. But it's often abused, because one illegal portal can accessed freely by any spirit, and not all of the spirits want to do good deeds to humankind. A legal portal would be guarded at the both side of dimensions, by the Council and the spirit world's representative. An illegal portal had to be closed immediately before disrupted the both worlds. That's one of the Council's duties.

Basically, there are two kinds of portals. The rough one usually made by lower spirits; that was the kind that often been abused. However, the clean and sharp one, like this one, was made by a greater individual. It practically emitted great tension to the air. Before it could be closed, normally it had to be an agreement from both sides of the portal. An onmyouji should have permission from one who opened it. That was the reason why this job could take weeks, even months, before the closing ritual could occur.

He didn't expect to find a presence of a familiar face in front of him, though. The presence – that had the face – was guarded by several obvious spiritual creatures.

"So, it's actually you, Isora… no, should I say Lord Isora?" asked the Meijin with his stern voice. "Why weren't you taking your true form?" was a line that flashed across his mind, and the young man seemed to recognize the question.

Isora's eyes opened. His _ever black _yukata swayed by the wind, bringing salty taste of the sea. "I am more comfortable like this, Touya-Meijin-dono. Isora is always more appropriate between us," he said. "Before we talked even further from the actual problem, I should have apologized first for all of these inconveniences which were caused by I myself."

"Lord Isora!" the boys around him shouted the same line with a worry. Their Lord was always too down-to-earth for his own good. But a look from their Lord was enough reason for their silence.

Touya Meijin put his hands on his tunic's sleeves as a habit. "It's fine by me. There were no actual problems caused by this. But I also had to know the reason," he said. He was using the same tone whenever he talked to Isora. Polite, yet with a conscious mind that Isora was his son's subordinate.

Touya Kouyo was aware enough about a great presence in front of him. He didn't know who this person was precisely, but here, in the open air, there was no restriction for all auras to reveal its true strength. And it was painfully obvious that something produced a great pressure which filled the air at the moment. A normal person would pass out already. But surely not the Meijin; the same reason why he also did not change his tone. Not when Isora didn't say anything about it.

"The North Sea has been in chaos," said Isora with monotonic voice, as if reading a casual report of no importance. "I had to move my family to East, when it was calmer. Kai, my right hand, was the one who made this portal to move my people here, as it was the quicker way. But he had to rest for months and didn't have enough magical power to close the gate. I really am sorry."

Akira's father closed his eyes for a moment, and opened them again. "The North has been in chaos?" he asked after the fact behind the reason was finally registered in his mind.

"Yes," Isora answered. "The balance in spiritual realm was in danger, as the greatest three presences were unknown for enough time recently. It didn't affect the humankind yet, but some strange natural occurrences have had happened. I myself would give a hand at this problem."

"So you have enough authority and power to do that?" asked the Meijin out of his curiosity.

"Human! You dare speak like that to our lord!" One of the boys shouted impulsively, "Just because you're the chosen father of –"

"Maki," said Isora with no small amount of warn. The boy was alarmed and once again backed off to his place with an upset face, mumbling apologizes. "It's not what we would like to talk about at this time and place," said Isora to his master's father. "Let's start the ritual."

_Touya Kouyo nodded._

* * *

Akira walked through the corridor, past the rooms in the living part of the temple. The main gate was on east; and the living room was near the main gate, of course. He walked past the trees and the garden, and the koi fishes were swimming cheerfully in the pool. The fresh, morning air still remained there; the sun weren't hot enough to be called noon. The white colors of shikigami were so eye catching; now the snow had melt.

The living room was still empty. He opened the door widely and sat, looked at the beautiful garden. There were several sakura trees, yet blossoming pale-pink buds. The blossoms would fall down like rain when the spring reached its near end.

One presence of strong magical power stood very near the gate. And an extraordinary strength, tinted with something inhuman, followed the first presence. His mind alarmed. He became more sensitive because his inner mind still connected to the Tree, but Akira calmed himself down. He recognized both auras. Ashiwara-san came with Ogata-san for sure.

Akira stood and walked to the main gate, and be greeted immediately. Even before he could say anything as the host. Ogata-san always felt the need to be the one in control alright.

"As expected, you're the one who meet us here. I believe you have received my message? Touya-kun."

"Touya-kun! Long time no see!"

"Well met, Ogata-san, Ashiwara-san."

Akira bowed and glanced up to meet his guest's gaze. No stern look at Ogata's face, just his usual sharp eyes. The stern look was ever so rare except when he talked about Council. Or wanted to intimidate someone. Ashiwara's expression was light, and he wore a dark blue kimono, in contrast with Ogata's white one.

Akira guided them through the corridor, to the guest room. He didn't think twice to do that, even if it was a fact that both men of his guestshad known already – they were his father's pupil, and thus were among people who visited his house more frequently than the others.

All through the next half an hour, Akira had been asked with questions: about his advancement in his magic, his friends, and his comments about people: The Council, of course, and some princess in other lands; Ashiwara-san mentioned some infamous beautiful princess from other side of the Great Land. He mentioned that Southern girls were the most beautiful being between land and sky. Ogata cut with mumbling, "Only your fetish, I suppose," but Akira didn't say anything. He only answered politely when being directly asked.

"I am brewing some tea first," Akira said after the two grown-ups sat comfortably on seats in guest room.

No longer than five minutes, Akira had come back with the tea. Everyone sipped the tea in silent. Akira, had used to any silence, didn't say anything, just looked to the view outside, and felt the wind breeze. Ogata, who really didn't care about anything, only mind his own business, didn't take a care about the silence. Ashiwara, on the other hand… Silence was definitely **not** his nature.

And so, he was the one who said, "The tea you brew is always good, Touya-kun," with a sheepish smile.

Akira nodded politely and answered, "Thank you for the compliment, Ashiwara-san."

"You're welcome."

And then another silence.

Ashiwara-san wiped a cold sweatdrops from his cheek. His white handkerchief that he always brought anywhere often showed up whenever he was only with Ogata and Akira, sometimes with their Master, Touya-Meijin.

"Touya-kun, how's your mother been doing?"

"Oh, she's fine, thank you. How is it about your family, Ashiwara-san?" Akira answered with his polite smile, retorted the question.

"They are… fine, the last time I saw them."

"Is that so?" asked Akira. Akira sipped his green tea again, and didn't say anything afterwards.

A sound of another sipped tea came out, not as silent as before, and then, "Touya-kun. I've heard that you're the one to participate in the Spring Festival this year."

Ashiwara was the one who surprised the most, because Ogata initiating a civil conversation was a rare thing. But Akira was even more surprised due to the content of what Ogata said.

"Spring… Festival?" said Akira, in a (only slightly) surprised tone.

"Don't you know?" Ogata's left eyebrow cocked up.

"But the one who participated there always a professional. The one with a license- true onmyouji!" Akira's voice turned up an octave higher.

"Not only those people could, actually. People who the Council has looked upon, is trusted and just a matter of time that they—I mean, you—have the license, can also participate," and then Ogata hesitated before said, "The _Council _especially thinks that the youngsters are the one who have to participate in Spring Festival."

Ashiwara chuckled. He knew that the tone Ogata said _Council_ was the tone he usually used when talked about Kuwabara-honinbou. Everyone knew about their… preferred tension towards each other, keeping the other one on the edge. But he also knew when Ogata's eyes glared dangerously he'd better stopped whatever he's doing at the time. And so he stopped chuckling right away.

Akira seemed had calmed himself again, back to his reserved manner, "Father hasn't told me about this."

"Has he?" Ogata said, not really asking.

"So I will play the Dragon Dance?"

"They wouldn't mind if it's just the shortened version. I believe you've already known the dance?"

"Father… taught me when I was little. It was one of the ways to control my magic flow better. And the Dragon Dance fits me better than anything else," Akira admitted politely.

Ogata muttered something like, "No wonder," under his breath, but Akira could never be sure. Ashiwara enthusiastically gave him congratulations, though.

Akira just wondered if he could do it successfully.

**. . . . . . . . . . **

They were talking—mostly Ashiwara-san's effort—and sipping the tea—mostly Ogata-san—when the one who had been waited finally came. One good onmyouji could extend their conscious area—with their souls as the core—and because of that, Akira and Ogata had sensed their Master a good half an hour before he actually arrived. The area's function was actually similar to kekkai, only it was harder to maintain, and usually used to sense magical creature that entered the territory immediately.

Wanted to save his precious energy, Touya Kouyo was traveling by wagon, pulled by two of his shikigami. Not as fast as a warp would, but it was necessarily fast.

When the Meijin had arrived at his home, the green tea for him had been prepared. Entering the guest room was the first thing he did. When the door opened, Akira, Ogata, and Ashiwara immediately stood up. All of them only sat back after Touya-Meijin had sat first.

"So, Ogata, what has brought you and Ashiwara here?"

"Ah… actually, Meijin, nothing much… we were only wanting to strengthen our relationship…"

"You don't have to hide anything in front of the presence of my son," calmly, the Meijin sensed the strange insinuation in the room.

Feeling so awkward, Ashiwara only let Ogata to do the talk. Akira merely listened with serious face.

"Ah, yes. To the point, then. The Council is worried about North situation."

"Yes, I believe I had known the matter when I traveled to North-East," said Touya Kouyo.

"The balance was disrupted by foreign spirits. The hierarchy of the Spirit World itself isn't in its firm position. As we talk now, the Council is trying to contact some of the Leader. This far, Kawahiko clan was the only clan who had sent their representation." Akira knew about Kawahiko clan. Literally, the name meant "Prince of the River". They were Kappa, the magical creatures who reigned in rivers.

"How about Kitsune family, or Orochi?"

"We're still trying to contact them both, and others, like Ookami clan."

"And what had Kawahiko clan reported?" the Meijin asked. Ogata nodded to Ashiwara, who immediately answered.

"They said Water clans were securely protected by the proxy-authority, but perhaps the others aren't that lucky. The balance was disrupted because the position of the leader had remained unclaimed for hundreds of years. They kept saying that," Ashiwara explained, looking at Ogata as if waiting to be interrupted.

The Meijin seemingly processed the information in silence, merely hummed as time went.

"Father, does it have to do with the absence of Ryuu-ou?" asked Akira. Touya Kouyo now faced his son.

"What makes you think that?"

"He had the highest power and the highest position in spiritual world…" _along with Kirin and Ho-ou_. Akira held his tongue.

"So, you read the scrolls well…" his father commented shortly.

"Yes, Father."

"For your question, I couldn't answer that yet. And for the situation, Ogata—" Touya Kouyo made some shikigami after concentrated a while. Those shikigami were popped off into thin air. "—I had sent them to necessary people. They would report my findings in my travel this time. As time goes darker, I believe the Council would better have the meeting tomorrow. Dai-Tenno himself would want to know the situation."

"Yes, Meijin."

"And Akira, I believe Isora had talked to you about an important matter?"

"Yes, Father. But unfortunately it was cut in the middle right at –"

"Akira, I believe we will discuss it in other more private times?" Akira nodded understandingly. His father only required a yes or no from that question, but he had taken it further by adding more information which could be held until later.

Ogata eyed the situation briefly, though.

"If that's the case, we have to go back by now," Ogata said, Ashiwara nodded in agreement.

"Very well, then. Inform me if there are any development," Touya Kouyo gave his approval – and some new jobs.

And so the four of them stood up.

After bowed politely to the Touya, both Akira and his father, Ashiwara-san and Ogata-san walked home. Touya Kouyo followed them out of the room after said goodbye to Akira. Akira nodded. His father needed rest, of course.

Akira didn't see even a glimpse of white shikigami. He was left alone.

...At these times, Akira felt a bit lonely.

He thought about the earlier conversation. And he wondered about life. Boys at his age weren't supposed to be alone almost every time, were they? Yet he couldn't recall about any boy he could call as "friend".

"No," his inner mind said as he shook his head, "I'm very grateful of my life. My family had always been great. I have talents at magic. I have been in full health. I should not fret around."

The musical song of chirping birds filled the air sounded odd on his ears. "Ho-ou…" Akira whispered the name that suddenly passed his mind. "Is his voice more beautiful than this?" he asked to himself. But he frowned. Why did he thought about Ho-ou as a 'he'?

He lost in his thoughts again.

At this time, this very time, Akira forgot his loneliness.

* * *

"…many people were being victims of the Great War, and so, Ryuu-ou-sama separated the Great Land from the other land, and moved it to where the barrier between the Realm of the Spirit and our world were thin, near _Ryugu_. But even after that, the war still ongoing, He became so angry and rejected to meet anyone anymore. He chose to have a sleep, deep, deep sleep in his Palace and refused to do any help for humanity any longer."

"In the middle of the Great War, a man arose from nowhere. He gained trust from the people of the four clans: Seiryuu, Genbu, Byakko, and Suzaku. With so many people have faith in him, he stopped the war and became the first Dai-Tenno… Shindou-kun, you're not listening, aren't you?"

Hikaru snapped back from his daydream, he was just _this_ close from having a dream. Tsutsui's face was red in his anger (or shame?), and Hikaru tried persuading him to calm.

"Oh, come on, I've been listening. What was that again with the first Dai-Tenno? He arose from nowhere, yet became the first Dai-Tenno. Isn't that illogical?" asked Hikaru. He hid his mischievous grin when Tsutsui replaced his eyeglasses with his finger and began to talk again, answering his questions.

"Right, that. It's because the legendary Kirin –"

"Kirin!" Now Hikaru was in turn snapping.

Tsutsui was taken aback in his surprise, and went on again, "Yes, Kirin. One of three legendary mythical beasts: along with Ho-ou and Ryuu-ou, the most powerful entities in our legends. The legends said that Kirin will appear at a birth of a great and wise person, who will become an ominous leader. It is said that the climax at the Great War happened when the Kirin appeared in his true form and making every single person stopped and looked at him. That's when the first Dai-Tenno came, and no one dare to question his power and charisma. He said the war is useless, and it stopped, and he became the first Dai-Tenno." Tsutsui opened one of the books before said, "Here. It is mentioned here, actually, but..."

Hikaru grabbed the book, but groaned immediately, "Man, I cannot read this!"

"Of course, I was just going to tell you that, but you hurriedly took it from me. It is written in ancient language. Not many people studied them nowadays," Tsutsui replied. And then he sighed, "What's the matter? How come you interested in history? …No, it's the Kirin, right?"

Then, as Tsutsui looked at Hikaru's face, for the first time since they first met he realized that he really didn't know this person in front of him. Tsutsui really didn't know the person who had this so much darkness, out of desperation, and secret, and so many unnamed emotions.

"It doesn't matter," said Hikaru darkly, and let his bangs swept over his face, covered it all.

Hikaru didn't say anything else after that sentence, and Tsutsui felt the air was heavy; he didn't dare to break it up.

"Yo, Tsutsui! I bring Mitani here for the festival!"

Both of them snapped and looked at the door. Kaga had came and brought another boy with strangled expression.

"How did you manage to do that!" asked Tsutsui; his glasses almost slipped down his face.

"_This bastard said that he will give me all the money if we win at the festival_!" Mitani shouted.

"But…" said Tsutsui.

"Ck, ck, ck…" Kaga released Mitani's leg while shook his head repeatedly and opened his paper fan. "I said, IF there's money to win, right?"

"You fooled me, you bastard!"

"Hey, that's not MY problem! I said IF we have some money, right?"

Tsutsui and Hikaru closed their ears with their hands as more insults and comebacks thrown at each other and closed their eyes before Mitani started swearing anything. Haha. They had enough for the words, thank you. After the sound had been louder, they moved to the outside, and ran to somewhere… safe for their poor, innocent ears.


	3. The Wind of Thought

**Disclaimer:**

**Hikaru no Go isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, the original idea isn't mine. I only add up the spices and hoping the taste would come out delicious.**

* * *

**Author's note:**

This chapter is thanks to **Kat**, who makes me all warm and fuzzy… wow, thank you, I don't know anyone really need to read the story.

Despite everything and anything, please enjoy.

**...**

**...**

**...  
**

"Hahh…" Hikaru sighed after opened his ears again. "That's quite… loud."

"Yeah. Mitani is always hard to be convinced," Tsutsui answered.

Hikaru thought about it, and then asked, "What was that about?"

"That? Oh, you mean the festival?" asked Tsutsui. Hikaru nodded. "We're going to do the festival dance, of course."

Hikaru tilted his head a bit to the left and said, "Dance? You mean, like bon odori-dance in festival?"

"Err… no. You know the Dragon Dance and some other like that?"

Hikaru shook his head. "How could I know something like that before?"

"Well… It's one of the traditional myth dances. We took some of the part of the scenes from mythical legends and tried to… dance it. What we're going to do is the interpretation of Ryuu-ou, before he slept at his palace… Although how we dance it depends entirely of how we perceive the legend itself," said Tsutsui. "We're only amateurs, but the onmyouji have always been appreciating the myths and the dances as their history. It is part of being an onmyouji, especially the younger ones, I think."

"Onmyou…ji?"

It was strange that Hikaru didn't know anything about the world. He supposed that onmyouji teachings and disciples were really concentrated in the Kyo and bigger cities, though, so maybe Hikaru just didn't grow up outside his hometown. For a moment, Tsutsui struggled to manage the right words to describe it simply. "Yes," said Tsutsui. "They are the ones who studied the ancient words," _and other things_, Tsutsui thought. He didn't speak that out loud, though, Hikaru seemed satisfied with the description only.

"Cool!"

"Cool is hardly a fitting word, Shindou-kun," said Tsutsui.

"Is onmyouji all about magic?"

"Why yes, of course, Shindou-kun," Tsutsui faced Hikaru interestedly, "Why are you asking that?"

Hikaru shook his head, "Nothing," he said. "I happened to know someone who performed magic too… I wonder if he is an onmyouji."

Tsutsui wanted to ask more, but he saw the shadow in Hikaru's dark green eyes, and decided to not push it. He smiled, "Why don't you come by then? It's going to be a whole lot fun, you know. You won't be going anywhere in the mean time, right?"

"Yep. I think I'll come! What time are you guys performing? I'll drop by then!" Hikaru smiled brightly.

"Well, the festival would start in the noon, I think. There's a festival, and you should try the _omikuji_ after you prayed on the Shrine, they're often right, you know," Tsutsui explained.

"Omikuji?" Hikaru asked.

"It's a fortune telling!"

"Kaga!" Both Hikaru and Tsutsui were surprised, heads facing the source of the voice.

"Where's Mitani?" Tsutsui asked. "The debate's over, then?"

"Back to work." Kaga grinned and messed with Tsutsui's hair, by ignoring Tsutsui's whimpers. "Why yes! Nothing's impossible in the face of the Great Kaga!" Kaga stopped messing with Tsutsui and faced Hikaru then, "He's right, kid. You should try the omikuji. Even compared to New Year's Festival's, it's still better!"

"Why?"

"Because it's slightly different… and nothing came out in good or bad. Its results are the important events in your life. Like, meeting someone's important… many people interpret that as your destined pairing! Not that I believe it, though." Kaga's snobby nose was up high.

"Did you get it?" Hikaru asked.

"That's why I don't believe it! I've got it when I was merely a three-year old brat, geez. No one ever got it that young!"

Tsutsui combed his hair with the finger. Not as tidy as he would've likened, but well, "Well, maybe that someone's already around you. I bet it's Kaneko-san from the Dango-_ya_."

"That sturdy woman?" Kaga snorted. "No way! Besides, she's most likely Mitani's destiny, seeing everyday they're arguing with each other, and all."

Deeply engaged in their debates, neither realized the wistful smile Hikaru wore on his face. People in front of him were nice, but they had their own life way before he came. _I don't belong here_, he thought bitterly.

_That's why I have to find it_.

"Ng? Did you say something, Shindou-kun?" asked Tsutsui. Hikaru shrugged, and smiling at the flowing breeze.

**...**

From the flowing breeze, Akira could feel it. It was awfully close, the rain. No longer than a day, the pouring water from the sky would be dense for hours and even days, probably. Not that he complained. Akira loved rain. It made him feel alive more than anything. In springtime, he felt stronger than other time.

Because of his boring situation (not that he would ever use the word boring outspoken. _Content_, he would refer it.) Akira decided to summon a shikigami. He then transformed the shikigami into a man, demanded to pull his carriage. Akira always used this way to go to Imperial's Palace's library.

The Palace's library was the closest part of the Imperial Palace's part to his house. Near the library, there were also Treasure rooms layered in heavy kekkai, which his father alongside with other onmyouji made. Akira couldn't enter one of those without being detected, not to mention there were several unknown traps, obviously for defending those treasure troves from thievery. But the library was open to anyone just fine.

It took no longer than half an hour to reach the library.

When Akira arrived, he entered, nodding at the guards as his shikigami disappeared into the thin air.

"Hoo… isn't that Meijin's son?"

Akira turned to the source of the voice, and bowed politely to greet an old man whom he recognized well. "Well met, Honinbou-sama."

"Ho-ho-ho… very polite yet distant, just like his father!" Kuwabara-honinbou's eyes twitched open.

Akira didn't comment. Nor he backed off from the pressuring aura in front of him, which he could already sense even before he opened his inner conscious.

"I heard you are studying about Ryuu-ou-sama."

Just how many more had already known about his private activities, he wondered. "That's true."

"How far have you studied?"

"As far as anyone would. But I have reached the relationship between Ryuu-ou and Kirin. And moreover, with Ho-ou," Akira answered. He gasped silently, because he didn't intend to say the last two sentences. Letting himself a glance towards the old man in front of him, he never fully realized before how strong the title-bearing onmyouji were. Even their casual words carried more prowess to make the person they subjected obey.

"Ho-ho-ho! I see, I see!" Akira noticed Kuwabara's amused smile. "Ho-ou, huh? Not a very common subject! _Especially with the restriction order from the very first Dai-Tenno._"

Now that was new. He didn't know that the first Dai-Tenno had anything to do with the mythical creatures, although having seeking more knowledge in the subject of magic, he knew that more than often, legends mingled with histories and were hard to be clarified of its truth.

Kuwabara was wearing a knowing look now, as Akira realized he didn't hide his eager thoughts at all. "Yes, the very first Dai-Tenno himself restricted the Ho-ou from being written or recorded by any chance. Of course he also demanded incinerating those kinds of records then. The restriction lasted until the Third Dai-Tenno ruled and determined to save the ancient records as much as possibe, but by then, almost everyone only regarded the mythical creatures as stories from legends and myths, and didn't care to know the truth at all. There was, however, a really old onmyouji who passed the knowledge to his son. The son, who was just a scholar, traveled around the Great Land, automatically to the Southern Volcanoes, with those links between Suzaku and Ho-ou."

Then he went back into silence.

Akira didn't even know what the intention of that freely given information at all. He knew he might be treading on a dangerous bridge here, but he gambled on whether Kuwabara had already finished or merely waited for his response by asking, "Then what happened to the son?"

"Hmmm...? Curious, aren't you?" Kuwabara looked more than satisfied because Akira actually pursued the knowledge. "He died because of age and tire. Not before passing the knowledge to some other people, though."

"Is there any known record of his knowledge?"

"Not as far as I know. And I know much. No one knew the existence of Ho-ou nowadays. Which was no wonder with so few texts survived," Kuwabara grinned half-mouth. Creepy.

Akira's shoulders lumped with disappointment.

"Hohoho… but I'm sure in this era, something's bound to change! What's your name, Meijin's son?"

"Touya. Touya Akira."

"Touya Akira. I'll remember that name for sure."

Then the Honinbou went out of the room, leaving Akira, again, alone. He felt that somehow he could never win with that creepy old man.

But that wasn't the thing in his mind.

_Ho-ou_. Ho-ou, such an enigma. Akira couldn't stop thinking about it. Ho-ou must have had a very different aura from anything else he ever sensed before. Beautiful in many colors, perhaps. So bright that anyone with open inner-consciousness would go blind.

Aura… he knew about a very different aura, once in his dream. Last night's dream, even. What was it about again? A… a man. A man in onmyouji's dress. White and dark violet.

Who was it again? He was sure the voice was saying, "Sai."

He didn't know how much time had passed with him being so dispersed in his thoughts, but suddenly there was a crack sound behind him, far behind the bushes.

Completely caught off, Akira snapped back to the reality.

Heavy cloud hovering above him, Akira realised he had been wandering off the outer side of the library, around the edge before the tall grass.

He shrugged off his thought.

"The rain will come soon… I have to go home," he whispered to himself. Calling the shikigami required his opened inner conscious, so he activated it.

_...Wait. What was this?_

Akira froze. He sensed an awfully familiar aura. Somewhere, sometime… he must have had sensed this somehow! But no, he couldn't bring up the memories. Maybe he needed sharper, more sensitive senses? Thinking along that line, he strengthened his aura, focusing more into opening his inner conscious. _Deeper_, he thought. It must have been somewhere within his jumbled memories.

The aura was so faint he even wondered why he sensed it in the first place. Half-running, Akira walked closer to the source of that the almost-rain weather made his senses sharper than usual.

There, a bit deeper to the grass, an old building standing before him. Akira was so sure he was standing in front of a very strong, delicately-built kekkai. He considered whether he should or he shouldn't go inside there. He was so curious, he wanted to know more.

Then he was stunned.

_A… voice?_

Something sounded so inhuman of high-pitched noise. It was from there, within the building.

Without thinking for the second time, he stepped inside the kekkai.

* * *

Ogata tensed.

He was on his really bad mood. There was none yet other representative out of the Kawahiko, and that old geezer said that he was incompetent? Hello? The other onmyouji knew this situation, but none other would say that it was urgent. Ogata himself admitted that he wouldn't check anything if one particular Honinbou hadn't commented on something to do with North with a suspicious tone. That old man sure had his own ears.

But that wasn't the reason why he tensed at the moment.

There was one Forbidden part of the Palace, once which he came near before. There was nothing special about the part compared to other treasure rooms - really nothing - except the position was rather distant with other buildings, and maybe even had been abandoned for a long time.

However there was this really inhumanely strong kekkai which was woven with such careful delicacy, and surely took a long time to weave. And it felt really old, the surroundings. Not disgustingly old, but ancient. Almost beautiful, even. He wondered who made the kekkai, as he didn't feel the signature of the Meijin or even anyone from the Council. It was the same yet wholly different with anyone's signature. He didn't make sense in describing it, but he really couldn't find the right words to describe that aura flowing in the vein of that kekkai.

Ogata didn't dare to enter the place. From the recognized pattern, he knew that some security system would have been activated if other than the weaver entered the kekkai, at the very least. And so, on some outer layer, he linked a thread with his own aura. He would surely know if someone activated the security system.

And just now, he felt it budged. But nothing happened within the kekkai, it seemed. Perhaps it was due to the old age.

There were other more important problems right now, not excluding those old man in the Council. If — no, _when_ he reached the inner rank in the council, he would revise the whole system. They surely needed a change or two. Not that he disrespect his own master.

Ogata was an ambitious man after all.

* * *

Akira stepped again, searching for the voice with his opened inner consciousness. He might had realized why there wasn't any trap, any system preventing him from coming inside, were he hadn't been too curious about the voice, ringing not only near his head, but _within_.

There. From the other side of the building.

A girl sat, her back turned to his face, reddish hair flowing, almost covered all of her red kimono. Akira was surpirsed himself with what he felt right now. What was that urge to come closer? Why was his heart thumping hard when he sensed her aura?

What was it that stung his eyes, hot and making him wanted to cry?

He took one step closer.

_Who are you?_ His inner conscious asked. There was no reaction.

Then the head was turning to face Akira.

That split second, Akira felt his head, as well as his chest, was going to burst. He closed his inner consciousness hurriedly, closing his eyes from the unearthly reddish aura in front of him.

Panting, he wondered why anyone never found out something so big and enormous was hidden there. The kekkai functioned really well. Maybe even much too well.

Finally Akira calmed himself down. He examined again the face in front of him.

Amber eyes so clear like honey, pale face with a trace of golden sun, and rosy lips. And then, the long, flowing, reddish hair, bangs cut the face perfectly.

Akira checked his heart. No, no thumping. As beautiful as the maiden was, it wasn't the face that made Akira unstable. Testing out the reaction, he activated his inner conscious, carefully opened only the first layers. Then he looked again at the girl.

_Kami_, he was sure he was blushing, though not as horrible as before.

"Who are you?" he spoke right to her.

The girl looked at him without saying anything, only looking with those glassy amber eyes.

"I… I apologise for my rudeness, if I was intruding this place, or…" Akira coughing once, clearing his uneasiness. "Is there by any chance you are a princess?"

There was still no reaction. (And the same honey-glazed eyes still stared at him.)

Akira thought he might be much too rude and had just wanted to excuse himself out, when the girl moved. Akira didn't realise there was a box of ink beside the girl, or that white paper. Or perhaps it was suddenly there. He didn't have the time to process it as the girl scribbled something on the paper before sticking it out near his face. Wondering the reason, he received that paper.

_Ancient writing…_ _it spells…_

"Akari? Is that your name?"

The girl nodded. He had almost responded when big drops of water fell to Akira's _tip of nose_. It started raining heavily rather quick.

Remembering that he had to come home soon, he excused himself. "Ah… I have to go now…"

Akira bowed politely and walked out of the kekkai. However, within no more than two steps out of the kekkai, Akira suddenly felt dizzy. No, what was this feeling? It was as if something heavy suddenly pulled off of his head. Unable to control his body, he suddenly dropped, then several things happened at the same time.

Someone caught him before he completely fell off. Then Akira felt something hot melted from his own eyes. _I'm… crying?_

He didn't realize that a strong light emitted from his chest. _Aah… the stone… glowing…_

Soon, the festival would come.

**...**


	4. The Wind of Doubt

**Disclaimer:**

**Hikaru no Go isn't mine, the characters aren't mine, the original idea isn't mine. I only add up the spices and hoping the taste would come out delicious.**

* * *

Oh, and you might want or might not want to read carefully the words in italic, whether if it's thoughts or something that I emphasize to give you some clue. I became bored with the line breaks, though, so I'll use dots breaks to separate the turning of the events and line breaks to change the POV.

**Special thanks** to Twinfetish: Dear Twiny, thank you for your sweet review. It is the one that made me finish this chapter! X3

**...**

**...**

**...  
**

The weather was cool because of the rain. As cool as any spring weather would be; although for people who had just passed the winter, it was as warm as any spring rain could be. The rain brought the scent of fresh soil and leaves, newly cut.

It was the soft sound of that velvetish rain that woke Akira up.

The room where he was brought a familiar feeling. He almost thought he was still in dreams, because of the deja vu feeling, but it was nothing odd; it was his own room. No light had been lit and he could easily open his eyes.

At first he was wondering what time it was. Judging from the dark blue sky and the cool weather, it was perhaps already dawn, almost the daybreak. _Akatsuki, as old people would say_, Akira thought. Albeit not remembering getting any sleep the night before, he still remembered the rain.

_I have the first drop on the tip of my nose_, Akira remembered. _I wonder if this means I'll get my wish…_

In the middle of his thought, he still heard the paper door was opened and closed. Akira stared at the direction of the person who came towards him.

"Akira-kun, you're awake?"

Ah. It was his mother's voice. It was so soft; perhaps his mother wouldn't want to disturb him if he wasn't awake. He moved his blanket away slightly and looked at his mother.

"Yes, mother. How long have I been sleeping?"

"All night long. You must be very tired," said Touya Akiko. Her hands were sliding through Akira's dark green silky strands of hair on his face. The warm hands made him calmer that he thought he was.

Someone walked through the door again and opened that paper door wide. Akira's eyes trailed to that person, but his hands pulled the blanket closer.

"Morning fresh air will do good to your body, Akira-dono." It was Isora, with his ever black yukata. His deep sea-blue eyes revealed no emotions as usual. Isora opened his mouth again, "You should get to rest now, Okaa-san-dono. Akira-dono will be better now he has waked up."

With a slightly more light from the outside, Akira could finally see his mother's face: slightly exhausted with red eyes from waking up all night long.

"Mother, please have a rest. I'll talk with Isora right now," said Akira, urging his mother to go to sleep. Making an excuse for her, even though he had his own agenda.

Touya Akiko searched into her son's face and eyes, those that reassured her.

"Yes," she said while standing up slowly. "I will go to my room. But not before I'm making your breakfast, Akira-kun."

Akira smiled, knowing his mother would be as stubborn as any of Touya family and only said, "Yes, Mother. I'm looking forward to it."

Touya Akiko smiled back and walked through the paper door without closing it back.

**...**

**Isora sat beside Akira, seemingly waiting for any words that would come up from the rather young man in front of him. Akira who always being straightforward whenever he was with his guardian asked directly to Isora's face, "What happened? Are you the one who brought me here?"**

"Yes, Akira-dono. Your body has a slight fever, perhaps coming from your disturbed aura." Akira frowned. As usual, not answering the question, yet explaining the unquestioned things.

Then, "Aura… wait. You were there, in that building? Is that kekkai built by you?" Akira narrowed his eyes, slightly suspicious.

Isora still sturdily sat. "I was outside that kekkai. I cannot enter the kekkai as I was not the maker nor the ones allowed entering it."

Akira nodded. He knew even before Isora told him. Akira didn't sense anything close to Isora's signature back then. He sensed more information was revealed and inviting even more questions from that answer, but Akira decided to stick with his original question. "Why were you there?"

"I was following you. It is dangerous to go there if the time was not right, but perhaps it was only right at the time," said Isora in puzzle.

Akira's head became slightly dizzy when trying to comprehend Isora's words in his sleep still haunting his mind. "Wait. So you know what is that building? Do you know Akari?" Akira slightly blushed when he spelled that name.

Isora's eyes shifted warily. Ah, finally, the slightest bit of emotion. "I know what would happen if you go there, at least as far as your emotions will be in turmoil. If I let it, a big storm will be coming right after you, Akira-dono. I have to control your emotions back," he said, not exactly answering the question.

"I can control my emotions just fine!" Akira snapped.

"No," Isora retorted calmly, not needing to point to Akira's own reaction as the proof ow his words. "Not after you go in there, no."

"So you know what it is inside of that kekkai!"

Isora closed his mouth, lips sealed tight, and seemed to be waiting until Akira's impulse had calmed down.

Determination flashed Akira's eyes, almost made it shine in the dark. "I will go there again until I find out who Akari is and what she is doing there," Akira said sharply.

Isora closed his eyes and stood up. "You seem healthy enough, Akira-dono," he said after opening his eyes, "Just make sure you have enough rest today."

Right before Isora stepped out of the room, Akira almost-yelled to his subordinate and guardian, "You won't stop me from going there again?"

Isora looked into Akira's blue eyes, blue-_green_ eyes and beyond them, to somewhere only he could see,

"I am no one who can change the future you decide."

* * *

The preparation for the incoming wouldn't be stopped even with this showering rain, was what Hikaru saw near the Dragon temple. Kyo was surrounded by hills, one of them was the High Palace, the nearest of the palace was a small temple, private property of one of the highest rank of onmyouji, the Meijin. This particular hill didn't fare in its height, but from its strategic position right between the hill of the Palace and the market was the hill of the Dragon Temple, the biggest temple in the whole the Great Land.

With the permission of the guardian monk, one part of the temple had been a place to prepare the festival through generations. Also, everyone was working hard to make this year's festival great. The people from the stand property were doing extra hard this year; people were whispering that this year after many years, an onmyouji would participate again in this festival, they said. They were exclaiming in excitement that rumors had the news that it would be the son of the Meiji, the young prodigy!

Hikaru wandered place to place, seeing the not-yet-finished Dragon head: colored in red and gold; so far from the image of Ryuu-ou, but it was the old tradition of coloring, people shrugged. Several people were working for the costumes for the Ghost House; they said the better the costumes, the more spirit would come by the day of the festival. Emissaries had been sent to the south (they wouldn't be back too long now) where the best firework makers made the most incredible fireworks just for this festival; the most of the fireworks, folks said, were in the range color of beautiful purple and blue. And also green; don't forget green of Ryuu-ou, folks said.

Hikaru asked so many things around the people, and so he brightened the dull weather, Tsutsui realized. He made everyone felt appreciated in what they were doing. Tsutsui stepped closer to the stand of Omikoshi-making, where Hikaru was asking enthusiastically at the background story behind this particular tradition of getting people gather around to be the feet of the Omikoshi.

"How was it, Hikaru?" Tsutsui greeted him, asked. Hikaru's face was going brighter.

"Incredible! Fantastic, all of these are! Wow! I've never been in a festival before!" Hikaru shouted at Tsutsui by full spirit.

Tsutsui laughed. "Well, wait until you see the festival. The crowds cannot be explained just by words. If the rain has stopped, we'll build the stands there. There will be food stands from all over the Great Land, the games stands, the infamous mask stands from the West, the carved jade from the North and pearls and gems. It will be great, really." Tsutsui was getting all worked up too, courtesy of Hikaru, surely.

"Where's Kaga?" Hikaru asked, looking to the left and to the right and around. Nope, he didn't see any red hair.

"Oh, he's gambling for getting lottery of who'll get the strategist places for the stands."

Hikaru tilted his head, "Huh? He will open a shop?"

"Oh no, for some reasons, the old people here seems to like him to help their shops. He's getting it for several of them who pay him the highest," Tsutsui half shrugged. Hikaru laughed joyfully, so hard he had to look upwards, _revealing the red earring stone on his left ear_.

A boy, wearing an earring? Wondering if it was the right timing, Tsutsui moved his glasses upwards, and faced Hikaru full bodily. "Hikaru," he said seriously.

Hikaru wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes, realised Tsutsui's serious tone as he stopped laughing. "Yes?"

Tsutsui seemed hesitating, then he turned his had into ball fist, assuring himself before asked Hikaru, "Why are you here?"

"Hm?"

"For what reason are you here? For what reason do you have to travel?"

Hikaru shrugged as if it was not a special question he needed to answer. "I have to find something that is so important to me. I can't be myself without it, and I can't go back before I find it," he said easily, even though those weren't words that could be taken lightly.

Tsutsui almost sighed. It went well, but Hikaru still talked in puzzle. "What is it? Do you have any idea where is it? I will help you, you know, and Kaga, too."

"Thank you," Hikaru smiled softly. _Beautifully is more likely_, Tsutsui thought before erasing the thought completely. "Thank you, but it is my own problem. You guys shouldn't be involved in this."

Were he Kaga, Tsutsui would grip Hikaru's sholders and shook them hard. "But we're friends, right?"

Hikaru's smile became even wider. "Right. Of course."

Tsutsui didn't know why, but he didn't feel like pursuing this more. Maybe later, but not now. Now, Tsutsui would just let everything flow like it should.

* * *

Akira stood at the balcony, looking at the rain. It had evolved to some such big dropped rain. The sound of it falling to the roof was noisy, but made one could forget anything one had been thinking of just by listening to it, but Akira couldn't have it.

It was already noon, he had cleared his mind. Akira wanted to apologise to Isora for being so rude, but his guardian couldn't be found anywhere.

His father had just come home from the Council's meeting that took time no longer than it would have to. Currently Touya Meijin was resting at the viewing room near the garden. Akira walked towards that place.

His father didn't say anything when his son came reaching him. Akira didn't say anything either when he sat down beside his father's place. He just looked into the garden like his father did.

The silence was not uncomfortable, but that was not why Akira came there. And so Akira opened his mouth, "Father, have you see Isora somewhere? I don't sense his aura anywhere."

Touya Kouyo put his legs into his kimono's sleeves and answered, "I believe he said to me that he has a job to do. He may be gone for two or three days, but he'll be back before the Spring Festival starts."

The knowledge that his father knew more about his guardian than him ticked Akira's anger off. But it felt so wrong to get angry at his father, and so Akira didn't say anything until he could say anything without being snappy. "He doesn't have to come back at the Spring Festival if his business is that urgent."

"He has to," Meijin looked at his son, "It is your important event."

Akira frowned, "It's just a performance in front of the public."

"You'll see."

Akira's face frowned even more. "You and Isora are the same, Father. Both of you know something. Both of you hide something from me."

"It is because the knowledge isn't something that you should know either from your guardian or your father," the older Touya's eyes looked old and wise. "The time has come close. Everything will set in the right place at the time. Even this rotten land will serve its right place."

"Rotten… land?" Akira asked curiously.

His father merely shrugged, although a Meijin doesn't _shrug_, "That's the word that your guardian said before he left. Let's just drop the subject about your guardian, my son."

Akira wanted to know more, he wanted to ask more, but he knew better so he didn't say anything about that. "How was the meeting?" he finally asked something.

"Short," said the Meijin. "Now that I and Kuwabara-honinbou have the same opinion about this situation, everyone tries to take the simplest way."

"The simplest way?"

"To not oppose us," Touya Kouya said and smiled.

Akira chuckled softly. "That's right," he said, able to imagine the very fear of those poor people had they dared to oppose Mejin and Honinbou, who agreed on the same subject for once in a blue moon, at the same time. "So what will be done?"

"Other ranked nobles will focus on their own try to contact a clan. The lesser ranks also help by preparing the rituals and strengthening the barrier to the north. It will be hard to maintain the balance in the north, now that the spirit world is in turmoil, but a strong barrier will slow down the affect to human world. I'm very concerned about it."

"Why?"

"Sea Turtle in the North, Orochi in the East, Kitsune in the South and Ookami in the West. They have settled it that way to prevent the clashing between each clan. But for years now every clan has had their offsprings everywhere, include in the human world. The noble rank of Orochi has moved to North and that is the trigger of this cause," Akira's father sighed long.

"Why don't they just settle in the East?"

Touya Kouyo gazed to the beautiful sakura tree, with their tiny buds struggling to grow into a blossoming beauty. "It is too late. East has been protected firmly by the strongest power of Ryuu-ou; the gate into Ryuu-ou's resting place lies in the East. They are not strong enough to topple that to gain the right to rule the spiritual world even with Ryuu-ou's absence all these years."

Akira was thinking hard, "And the leader of the Turtle clan has been the direct representative of Ryuu-ou for centuries. They eventually seek safety in the East," he continued his father. "They share their protection with other water clans too."

"That's right. But this is not your problem," his father stopped the sentence rather abruptly. Akira's left eyebrow moved upwards. "I heard from your mother that you've caught a fever. Rest until the festival day, won't you?"

"But… I haven't practiced the Dragon dance for years. It was since you told me not to at the age of seven," Akira furrowed his brows, deep, "That's right, I haven't practiced it for a long time. Why did you forbid me to practice it again if it was good for the flow of my energy?" He glanced at his father whose eyes were closed, refusing to look into the eyes of his son.

"I will not say anything about that. Everything will be clear at the time, Akira, don't fuss over yourself."

* * *

Here and there the animals were singing within the wild bushes. It was not noisy though, not like summer or autumn nights. The rain had finally stopped after falling for three days (and nights) straight and the visible moon was almost completely round then, signaling the incoming festival.

In the temple, the stands had been built and prepared, ready for tomorrow's festival. There was no inn that wasn't fully booked, and people were still coming. Several caravans were set on the western field of Kyo, and people were camping there.

The market place was still open, lit by warm colored lamps, visible even from Tsutsui's house.

Hikaru sat at the wooden floor that he had just swept at the afternoon, after the rain had stopped. He looked down into the city that was on a very spacious valley. Tsutsui's house was a bit distant after all, at the soiled farms area, nearer to the wood to collect the required herbal plants.

Hikaru then glanced over his shoulder and smiled, "Night, Tsutsui."

Tsutsui was easily caught off, Hikaru thought, when he looked a bit surprised. "But I've made sure I don't make any noises!"

"Well, you see. My senses are pretty sharp when it comes to recognizing people's auras."

Tsutsui sat beside Hikaru. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, I used to become dizzy when I was near a strong presence. Sometimes people have exceptional auras like that. Not many, though," Hikaru explained before noticing the bright thing on Tsutsui's hand. "Was that the South's Glowing Stone?"

"Yes. Father has the stock to study at night. I borrowed one. This is a pretty useful thing, isn't it?" The glow shone to Tsutsui's face, making shadow under his eyeglasses.

"They said many, many centuries ago the Firebird nested in a mountain full of holes and caves. Then the Firebird lit the land; the heat never leaves, and so Southern people dug those things in mountain's caves. Lately it becomes a mass production, though. Mountains were vanishing from South as we speak. But this thing is useful indeed." Hikaru shrugged as he said.

"What? Is that why the rumors going that the foxes are going rampage in south?" Tsutsui asked.

Hikaru nodded. "I think they lost their warm houses because of this. They said that not only foxes, but the spiritual Kitsune clan is also going against digging up too much. It seemed that they know the secret behind these stones but they wouldn't tell humans because it would bring more exploitation."

"Is that so…" Tsutsui's face became sad.

"But it is less dangerous than ignite the fire indeed. Anyway," Hikaru changed the topic, "I can't sleep because tomorrow we'll have the festival. I'm so excited!"

"Me too. You have helped collecting the herbs, cleaning the house and other little things, so I guess Father will give you some pocket money for the festival," Tsutsui said. "But not much, I'm sorry…"

"Seriously!" Hikaru beamed. "Whoa, whoa! Your parents are nice people, Tsutsui! I bet there will be so many foods! Oh, but I won't come to the festival until the third day, then, before your performance if I don't want to waste the money… but I won't be able to hold up that long! Mitani and Kaga will all have fun and laugh at me! What should I do?"

Tsutsui laughed. "Well, how about helping me and father to be the festival's doctors for the first and second day? Mitani will help his sister taking care of the games stands and Kaga will go around, giving shogi workshops and help the food stands. They won't really be able to have fun like you thought they would."

"Really?" Hikaru beamed again, eyes bright excited.

"And we will be paid."

"Yes," said Hikaru instantly after hearing the last sentence. They both laughed. "Oh, my," Hikaru wiped the laugh's tears from the corner of his eye. "I can't wait for tomorrow!"


	5. The Wind of Meeting

**Disclaimer:** Hikaru no Go belongs to Hotta Yumi and the (great) illustrations belong to Obata Takeshi. And Shonen Jump. I only borrowed (or stole?) the characters, and if I'm good, the characterizations. Another disclaimer belongs to Dephanie.

**Main Pairing:** Hikaru/Akira, eventually. Please don't interpret as anything else.

**Rating:** T?

**Summary:** A whole, mythological AU. The truth of Akira's life will be revealed as one particular, colorful boy came into his life. And what path shall they take?

**Warnings: **Shounen ai. Thick mythological contents. NOT a Seiryuu-Suzaku-Byakko-Genbu thingy, but they will be mentioned.

**Author's note: **

I bring you this with two pieces of cheesecakes, three cartons of expired milk that I don't drink, a bowl of cereal within yoghurt (It tasted weird), a whole group of bouncing muses, and much, much love:** HAPPY BIRTHDAY, **_**THE LEGEND OF THREE,**_** and HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE FOR YOU~~~!! **I love you all. Seriously. So, here comes the fifth chapter. Five is Hikaru's number, no? A good chapter to mark this baby's first birthday!

**…**

**…**

**…**

"I'm spent up!" Hikaru shouted loudly, head thrown back up, ignoring people around him. The festival was still in crowded even though the second night was almost over.

The last two days were very, very exhausting. He didn't know that it would be that tiring. People were actually coming there, from the slightly-scrapped children, knocked down weak-bodied teenagers, and even people who just borrowed things without turning those things back; Hikaru had to go look for the spare bandages that someone had used for her friend somewhere, for example.

Those two days were hot. Cool winds were blowing occasionally, but it was surely hot because of the crowds. And the crowds were indeed indescribable by Hikaru's thoughts only. There were too many colors and heights and widths and smells to comprehend by Hikaru's mind only. He hadn't seen people crowded this much before.

Mitani foul-mouthedly guarded the Fishing pond. You could fish goldfishes there with a paper, small net, just as big as the palm of your hand. It wasn't actually as easy as it looked because the paper net was horribly easy to break before you could catch any goldfish. Anytime Hikaru looked, there was always full of children and even adults who challenged their friends. These past days Hikaru and Mitani weren't in a good term of relationship, but as Hikaru just cheerfully went along the way as he is, Mitani couldn't do anything than accepted his being as a friend.

There was one time that a grown up girl showed up and Hikaru just gaped (not literally) when that girl argued and mouth-fight Mitani easily. Hikaru had never seen anyone who managed one's way under Mitani's skin like this girl. Not even Kaga, even though Kaga and Mitani often argued too. When he asked, Tsutsui answered that that was Kaneko from Dango shop. Mitani and Kaneko had always been like that since they were children, said Tsutsui.

Hikaru looked at Kaga once too, at the first day. Kaga tutored several kids shogi with his short-fussed head. He impatiently (almost) humiliated those kids, but some of them turned to be a pretty good shogi-player. None of Kaga's level, though, Hikaru thought as he saw Kaga beat those kids senselessly (in shogi, thankfully).

Tsutsui helped his father eagerly. And even though he had more things to do than Hikaru, he looked no more tired. Perhaps he had already used to it. Perhaps Tsutsui just liked the job. He would certainly take over his father's job, Hikaru thought.

As the stands were closing down, Hikaru helped Tsutsui's father to clean up the mess and pack the remaining herbs there. Then the three walked together back to home.

"What's the matter, Shindou-kun?"

Hikaru glanced at Tsutsui. What did he mean by saying "what's the matter"? Hikaru was doing just fine, you know, walking and talking.

No, it wasn't funny.

But still, what did Tsutsui mean?

Then Hikaru's body suddenly fell. His body thumped hard to the ground and he felt his energy leaving him, draining into nowhere. He couldn't even lift his finger without trembling so hard. Then he felt so tired he couldn't even open his eyes.

"Shindou-kun!" Tsutsui almost screamed. "Father, Shindou-kun!"

Hikaru let the embrace of the darkness come as the wind blew, eased him softly.

**...................................................…**

Hikaru gently opened his eyes. He sure fainted a lot since he got to Kyo. Well, you could say that twice in less than a month were a lot times if the boy had a very healthy body that seemed like the body repelled sickness. But he still fainted, and twice at that, indeed.

He glanced around the room, the very same room he got into Tsutsui's home for the first time. The herbal smell still lingered within the room, but not as strong as before. The room was used for patients who suddenly came at night or urgent patients, so it wasn't that much used. Tsutsui admitted he often went there to protice mxing herbs, though.

There was no one around him. But Hikaru could feel the presence of someone reaching the place. Seconds later the sounds of steps could be heard from corridor.

Tsutsui entered the room with clean clothes on his hands. He took a look at Hikaru and noticed that Hikaru's eyes were open.

"Oh, so you're awake," Tsutsui sighed gratefully. "Shindou-kun, perhaps you should not go tomorrow. Father said that your body shut down itself from exhaustion, most likely, although he's never seen a case this extreme before."

"Ehhh?? No, I will go tomorrow!" Hikaru pouted. "If not, then what's all the last two days' hard work for? The money I'll spent at tomorrow's festival!"

Tsutsui moved his finger to correct his glasses position. His face was showing concerns. "You can take the money later if you want. I'll take you to the market if you have felt better next week. It's not that much different anyway."

"I have to go tomorrow! And you guys will be performing too! That's no way I would pass that!" Hikaru yelled. Tsutsui's body moved backward with his hands curled atop of his yukata. "Besides," said Hikaru, with calmer breath than before, "I didn't faint because I'm exhausted."

"What – then what could it be?" Tsutsui asked. Hikaru refused to look at his friend's eyes. Seeing Hikaru wouldn't answer his questions, Tsutsui tried to make his point, "Our performance is not of that importance anyway. You really shouldn't push your body's endurance, Shindou-kun."

Hikaru shook his head hard even though he felt dizzy by doing that. "No. I have to go. I have to! I know I have to!"

Tsutsui backed away. Hundreds of questions almost escaped his mouth but he sealed his lips tight, just as Hikaru did.

"I'll just… leave these clothes here. I'm sorry to bother you."

Tsutsui walked away past the wooden door and shut it behind.

Hikaru whispered, perfectly knew that he had hurt his friend, "I'm sorry…" as he hugged his feet tight. He felt so cold. "I am incomplete without it. I have to find it soon… or it'll be too late…"

Hikaru closed his eyes slowly.

"Before it is too late."

* * *

Akira clutched his hands to a gemstone by both of his hands. The gemstone that had always been with him since the night he was born.

Back when he was little, the precious stone was too big to be covered wholly by both of his hands. Now he could do it just fine.

The moon shone green tonight, almost the full moon. Tomorrow night would be full moon.

Tomorrow night he would perform the Dragon Dance, which he hadn't danced for so long. But back when he was little, he always did it very morning, when the moon hadn't completely gone, outshone by the bright morning sun. So maybe he would do it fine. Maybe.

The wind was blowing his hair as he lifted the stone with the green moon shining behind it.

Ah, there. He could see the never ending movement of grayish thing inside the gemstone. It must be the raging storm of his birth night. Isora said that it was not the storm that sealed the stone, but it was the stone that was sealed by the storm.

That's right. Isora had said something too when they talked in library. He called the gemstone as Tide Jewel.

"…as it is the Tide Jewel…" Isora had said. "One of the undeniable signs that you are the—"

But the conversation had been interrupted by his mother's knocks at the door. Then Isora had gone. Within the kekkai that Akira had built, layer by layer, without any signs. Isora just… had left. Gone, for days. No one knew where for good. (Although Akira suspected that his father knew where.)

"The who? That I am who? Or… what?" Akira murmured to himself. These past days too much things went and gone by. Too many questions went unanswered. Too many curiosities went uncontrollable.

But tomorrow something would change.

Akira felt it too, that tomorrow something would surely happen. The feeling had been only getting stronger after the conversation with his father.

He could only hope that it wouldn't be something bad.

* * *

"OUCH!!" the boy with unruly brownish reddish orange-ish hair cringed. "Stop touching that wound, Nase!"

The auburn-haired girl giggled before pulling back her hand from the boy's leg. "I want to know if it is still hurt. Sorry, Waya."

"You should be sorry. After all, it's only because of you that the wound was worsening. I just tripped by Isumi's feet and the both of us fell down but the wound was nothing! Nothing if only you didn't inflict experimental healing magic on this wound that made the wound spread!" Waya yelled.

"Geez, you shouldn't say the M word aloud in open place, Waya," small eyed boy with rather roundish complexion said.

"Shaddup, Fukui!"

"I've said I was sorry about it, Waya. I'm sorry!" Nase clasped both of her hands in front of her head.

Waya wasn't a vengeful person. "Not to mention that you really suck at cleaning and bandaging the wound that in the end it was Isumi who did it!" Really, he wasn't.

"What?! It was your fault to trip over in the first place!" Nase pouted.

"No one could blame my feet to be tangled with Isumi's in the crowded place!" Waya yelled back.

"Yeah, no one would blame you both to walk so _close_ together that you didn't even realise your feet tangled before both of you fell," said Nase, now smirked at the blushing Waya. "You too, Isumi. No one would blame the both of you, really."

"Hey, please leave me out of this," said the tall boy with bluish black hair; he was not smiling even though his eyes were.

Waya turned his body to another direction, angry faced.

"Aww… poor Waya to be rejected by Isumi…" Nase smirked intentionally.

"I've told you to leave me out of this, didn't I?" Isumi said pleadingly.

"Isumi is," Waya tried to say, "my best friend. He is my best friend." Unbeknown to anyone though, his eyes turned to be slightly sad.

Isumi gulped, sensed the uncomfortable feeling that lurking around the group. "Ah," he opened his mouth. "I heard that Ochi will watch the performance too."

Waya, wanted to get rid of the awkward situation, took the bait. "What? That Ochi? He usually doesn't care about anything except his training."

"Must be because of the Meijin son he is obsessed with," said Fukui cleverly.

"Yes, he always thinks that he is the best candidate to be onmyouji, but not after the son of Meijin whispered between our teachers lately," said Nase,

"Yeah, I want to see this son of Meijin thingy. Just because he's Meijin's son doesn't mean he can be onmyouji just like that without even going out of his house," said Waya. "And people said that he's allowed to enter the palace freely too! Just because he's Meijin's son…!"

"We all want to see him. That's why we came here today, right?" Isumi closed the conversation with his calm, cool voice.

"Yeah," Waya nodded.

Fukui sniffed the air. "Ahh… I want takoyaki!"

Waya beamed, "I'm hungry too. Let's go buy it then!"

"Let's race there!" Fukui said. Waya laughed and ran before him.

Isumi chased the both of them without running. (How could they run in the middle of this crowd anyway?)

Isumi had no idea. "Hey, you two," he shouted, hoped both Fukui and Waya could hear him, "Please don't behave like 5 year old kids!"

Nase giggled and patted Isumi's back, "Just let them. We have agreed to enjoy this as best as we can, right?" she said. Then she ran too towards the takoyaki stand with the long queue.

Isumi sighed heavily, but he smiled and ran towards them anyway.

**.......................................................**

"I won!" Waya shouted as he walked slowly in the queue.

Fukui panted as he joined his friend in the queue. "Well," he breathed, "I really can't win against you at physical competition," he said.

"Then why you ask for this anyway?" asked Waya, still smug over his winning.

Fukui only smiled. Then Waya thought, _Oh. Did I look that depressed?_ Waya smiled brightly and slapped his friend's back hard. Nase and Isumi came and laughed looking at them.

"Ouch, what was that for!?"

"Waya, in front of—" Isumi's voice warned Waya.

"Wha—"

Too late. Waya bumped with someone, hard. Waya fell to the ground as well as someone he bumped with.

"You have to be more careful, geez," that someone said to Waya. Isumi helped Waya get up and Fukui helped the stranger up.

"It's not my fault!" Waya shouted.

Isumi whispered warningly, "Waya."

Waya looked downward, "You're right. I'm sorry. You okay?"

"'m fine," the boy in front of Waya said, patted his worn out yukata from dust and looked at them with his shining dark green eyes.

"I'm sorry, he's a good kid, really," Isumi said to the boy.

The boy, with two-toned hair, smiled brightly and said, "I've said I'm fine already." Then his eyes stared at them and blinked twice.

"You guys… you are not humans, aren't you?"

* * *

Hikaru covered his mouth, blamed himself to always say something before he could think over it first. His mouth acted faster than his brain, Hikaru swore. He slowly looked upwards, to the group of four in front of him. They looked tense.

Uh oh.

"Hey, will you guys buy some takoyaki or not?" Someone behind them said. They looked sheepish and walked, following the queue movement.

The only one girl out of the group finally said, "Well, first of all, I'm a girl, so you should rule me out of these guys."

"Nase!" the boy whose hair looked slightly like a slash between Kaga and Mitani shouted. The boy lowered his voice that Hikaru almost couldn't hear it within these many of people. "We are humans. Although I, for one, I am a half Kitsune."

The boy who was the tallest of the group, with dark blue hair cringed. "Waya, you shouldn't—"

"It's fine, Isumi. It's not like I have to keep it as a secret," the boy whose name most like was Waya said. Then Waya turned his face to Hikaru, "What's more interesting is: how would you know? Are you by any chance an onmyouji? Because knowing someone a human or not is a pretty high-level skill, you know."

The girl with reddish hair—_Nase, isn't it?_—nudged Waya to follow the movement of the line again as the one of the group with roundish feature pushed Hikaru too.

"Answer me, or I'll kill you because you've preached my secret," Waya whispered; his eyes narrowed warningly.

_But you tell me that yourself!! _Hikaru's inner mind panicked. His sweat dropped, cold as the wind blew on the trace of the dropped sweat in his cheek. "Um… I have the ability since I was a child, sensing the aura between humans, humans and animals, and something more magical than those. I don't know why either; you just have different smell if I have to state it. It's just different," Hikaru blurted those words out. "Please don't kill me," he half whispered said.

Surprisingly, Waya guffawed as his response. Hikaru gaped at him; Waya's friends didn't seem quite understand either. "Oh, don't worry about that! I'm just kidding! Wow, your face is priceless!"

What was more surprising, Hikaru started laughing too, uncontrollable until he had to half hug his torso, more relieved than anything. Waya, seeing that Hikaru was laughing, laughed even more that the two of them laughed until they were satisfied with a couple of chuckles.

"You are one interesting guy, aren't you?" said Waya. He stuck out his hand as he asked, "What's your name? I'm Waya Yoshitaka, this tall guy is my best friend Isumi Shinichirou, the guy who likes to eat here is Fukui—what's your given name? I forgot, sorry—and the girl is Nase Asumi."

Hikaru reached that hand. Suddenly, "Aaaahh!!" Hikaru shouted in realization when he saw Nase's face clearly. "I knew I know you!"

Three pairs of eyes shot out at Nase in surprise, and Nase, cornered, muttered, "What? What?"

"You are the one who took the spare bandages and didn't return it! I have to look for it for an hour, you know, when all our stock are done!" Hikaru pointed his finger to Nase.

"Ooohh… I know I've seen your unique hair somewhere!" Nase giggled. She then reached Waya's arm despite the owner's shouts of pain. "It's because of this, you know."

"Put it down, Nase, PUT IT DOWN!"

"I understand, I understand!" Hikaru said as Waya's arm was placed back slowly. "No hard feelings. Oh, and by the way, my name is Hikaru. Shindou Hikaru."

Hikaru reached Waya's hand. Unfortunately it was too late to realise that it was the wounded one as Waya muttered incoherent swears.

The rest of them laughed.

**.......................................................**

"Hey, the queue is almost gone," Nase said. There were only two people more in front of them. "You are really a distraction," Nase winked. "You make us laugh!" Then she laughed as to prove that.

"And here I think something else," Hikaru smirked, returning the joke. Then, "Ah! That's right! Why am I being in the line?" Both of Hikaru's hand held his head.

Waya turned his body to face Hikaru. "What, why? What happened?" Waya asked.

Hikaru's face became gloomy as he said, "I don't bring any money… I forgot it… I wasn't going to buy anything before I met you guys, actually."

"Oh, don't worry, Isumi here will pay for your takoyaki!" Waya chuckled as he patted his best friend's back, high.

"Ehhh… Why me??" Isumi asked.

"Tsk, tsk," Waya shook his head. "You are our payee, that's for sure."

"Ehhhhh…!!" Isumi gasped. All of them laughed again, no one knew how much for just this one past hour.

The takoyaki maker asked with a commercial smile as they walked forward to the counter, "Welcome, sir—and lady. How many will you buy?"

"Five," said Isumi.

The takoyaki maker nodded, "Understood. Please wait a moment." Then the maker turned back and shouted, "Five takoyaki!" The maker wrote down their order on a paper and turned to Isumi to give it to him. "Thank you, kind sir. You can pay there while waiting for it to be done."

The maker actually pointed to another long line, although it moved faster than the line before. The group, except Isumi, groaned loudly.

Isumi smiled gently, "You can all sit down and I'll go in the line alone. There's a place to sit," Isumi said. He smiled, and as he walked towards the line to pay their order, "Don't worry, I'll treat you all."

His chin tilted to the direction of the slope that wasn't faced the main attractions, so it wasn't so full. The group walked towards that slope.

Suddenly Waya stopped, and turned back to chase Isumi, "Sorry guys, he'd be bored if he go alone," he said apologetically.

Hikaru followed him with his eyes. He saw Waya had reached Isumi. Isumi smiled at Waya, and Waya smiled happily between his pantings. Isumi patted Waya gently and the both of them walked in the line.

"Um…" Hikaru looked at Nase and Fukui questioned.

Nase sighed, "Well, that's them. Let's sit!"

"Yup. They are best friends indeed," Fukui said as they sat on the slope.

**.......................................................**

"Well, let's talk. I want you to tell me about you all," said Hikaru to Fukui and Nase.

Fukui said, "We live around here, at some… school. Waya and Isumi have been there before either Nase or me and they are the best buddies you can find in our school…"

"How about your family?" Hikaru asked Fukui.

Fukui said nothing. He inhaled and exhaled, then inhaled again. "Just as Waya is half Kitsune, I have Tanuki's traces in my bloodline. My brothers behave like true Tanuki clan; they deceive, they strive for the best. My family is proud of them. Me, I'm just… a left over."

Hikaru frowned. "I'm sorry…"

"Nah, it's nothing," Fukui said cheerfully. Whether the smile was forced, Hikaru couldn't bring himself to judge. "Besides, I have something that my brothers don't have. Thanks to that, I can enter the school and meet all my friends now. I can meet you too."

Hikaru smiled softly. "Thanks."

"Hey, Hikaru?" Nase called Hikaru. _Girls, they call people as they like_, Hikaru thought inwardly. He didn't mind, though.

"Hm?"

Nase stared at the darkening sky. "Where do you come from?"

"Southern mountain range… but currently I stay at the hill somewhere around here," said Hikaru.

"Me and Waya too. I think there are many people in southern mountain who had Kitsune's blood running in their veins… I have it too, although more far removed," she said. "When my mother gave birth to me, my father threw me out immediately… I had fur in my back when I was born; it indicated that I wasn't human… I think I got it from my father," Nase said bitterly. "Luckily a traveling Kannushi – a Shinto priest – took care of me and gave me to the school that Fukui mentioned after I've reached 14."

Fukui patted Nase's shoulder softly.

Nase looked like almost in the verge of tears, but she hardened her face.

Hikaru almost told her to just cry when a tear dropped from the edge of her eye. "I'm sorry," Nase chuckled softly. "I don't even know why I told you this. You are really a special person. And I think I want a close friend like Waya and Isumi."

"We are friends already! I'll always be right beside you both if you need to talk," said Hikaru.

A smell of freshly made takoyaki filled the air around them when a voice said, "What's with that talk!" Waya hit Nase's hair softly. "Aren't we close friends?"

Nase smiled, wiped the only tear on her cheek. "Un!" She nodded.

"Here's the takoyaki, everyone," Isumi said while holding a paper bag; five boxes of takoyaki were inside of it.

Hikaru grabbed his part without hesitation. "Hmmm… It smells good!"

"Of course, stupid," said Waya while giving Fukui's and Nase's part.

Fukui, faster than anyone, opened the box and pulled one of the takoyaki. "Everyone, itadakimasu!"

**

* * *

  
**

The darkening sky marked the beginning of the dance competition. The torches at the center of the temple had been lit, and group by group performing their own interpretation of the Ryuu-ou's part in the history.

"So, Touya-kun, what do you think about the dances?"

Akira glanced upwards at Ashiwara's face. "Well, they are interesting."

_But no one enticed me_.

"You know, Touya-kun, with this many young people around here, you could've just greeted one and make some new friends," said Ashiwara.

Akira smiled politely, not answering, nor rejecting.

The person at the stage announced that the last group would be performing.

Akira frowned. While no one really in silence, a person three rows beneath him gasped loudly then hid behind his friend's back. _What's the matter with him, really?_

When Ashiwara said about _young people_ and _greet_ and _friend_, Akira knew only one time he had initiated to know one's person and greeted the person. Well, he was thinking about Akari, of course. He didn't blush anymore when he thought about Akari. Akira now was sure that it was just a reaction for Akari's really… different… aura. Now that he thought about it again, yes, Akira admitted, that aura was so… beautiful. So heavenly and majestic and shining and glowing. Perhaps Akari was not a human. Perhaps Akari was a heavenly being in disguise.

Perhaps… Akira silently thought that perhaps she was the…

"GONGGGG…"

The sound of the gong filled the air, cut any of Akira's thoughts. His attention now back to the stage.

A person in a traditional yet simple version of onmyouji costume came, voicing, "The Great War of the four clans didn't seem to end. Then, Ryuu-ou came,"

Without voice, another person showed up at the stage and started dancing. He moved powerfully and every part of his body signaling that he had the very highest authority. Then the light of the moon suddenly was suddenly covered by the cloud. The clear voice of the first person came again, moving the attention back to the narrator,

"Ryuu-ou was angry. He didn't want the land—His land—to be stained by the filthy blood, the filthy human, the filthy hatred, the filthy war," a cold anger came out perfectly from that person's voice. "Ryuu-ou decided to separate the land in hope that the war will stop. But he grieved, because it wasn't,"

Akira didn't know how this group seemed to use the moonlight. Perhaps the moon wanted to help this group too, he thought as he saw the moonlight shone to the center of the stage again, the Ryuu-ou's actor moved.

Ryuu-ou's actor moved angrily just how an emperor would be angry when his throne was disturbed suddenly; when his clothes were tainted by something very dirty. The dance expressed the anger and the hatred; the grief.

"Then a young man came, he came in the middle of the war, he came to stop the war."

"BEHOLD!!" Another person came in front of the stage, replacing Ryuu-ou's actor. His voice filled the air, low sound, big sound; the ears of the spectators were full only by his voice. "I hereby demand this war to be stopped. AND I WILL BE YOUR FIRST EMPEROR OF THIS GREAT LAND!"

That new person moved roughly but somehow gracefully; he shot out his punch to four directions of wind, then his hand moved like they were being one, the four directions were being one in that second.

Then the moonlight was out once again.

"But of course the leader of the four clans didn't accept the new man. Who was he? Why did he suddenly come? There were so many questions left unanswered."

"I am Kirin! And by this, I declare this person as your true leader!"

It was the voice of the narrator. Akira knew it was. So sudden, the cold, soft voice of the narrator became full of believable demand.

"The Kirin," now the narrator's voice back to the previous version, "appeared in its true form. And no one object; no one reject. The young man became their first emperor."

The voice somehow like marked the end of the scene. Several people already clapped.

But suddenly the moon shone again at the center of the stage.

Akira gasped inwardly. The Ryuu-ou's actor seemed like never ended his dance for the whole scene! That was why it seemed like the group was using the moonlight.

_Ryuu-ou never stopped the dance._

"Ryuu-ou had become very tired: of human, of the world, of everything. Then he fled to East, where his long, long sleep will start. And will never end, unless we human can gain our true peace."

No one clapped. However everyone were whispering. Perhaps they were not so sure whether the short drama had ended or not. Akira could feel their hesitation; it could only mean that this group was that good anyway.

And so Akira clapped. Someone clapped with him; Akira looked at the direction of the clapping sound and noticed that it was the person who hid himself behind his friend's back.

Then the whole spectator clapped loudly as to follow Akira's and the person's lead.

"Touya-kun, I think this one is very good!" Ashiwara said cheerfully, still clapping his hand.

Akira nodded. "I agree."

The stage was empty for a minute while the applause was still loud, like a wave. Wind brought the sounds of the clapping into the back of the stage, where three boys grinned satisfiedly, even though they were tired from their previous activity.

Then a person announced the name of the groups, (the last one's group's name was "The Great Kaga"; a flashy name, but a good performance. Or so Akira thought,) then he said that for a moment the audience were asked to close their eyes. The audience had to raise their hand when the name of the group they liked was announced, and no one was allowed to open their eyes until the last's group's name was announced.

"Ashiwara-san, it's time for me to change costume," Akira said. Ashiwara nodded, and Akira left, moving downstairs.

Akira just happened to look at his right when he caught a glimpse of the color of sun: yellow to white, shining golden even under the smallest light. _Someone's hair…?_

Then a pair of dark green eyes met Akira's blue-green ones.

The owner of the eyes had two toned hair: black – as black as the night's sky – and sun colored bangs, which perfectly framed the person's face's features. That was the person who hid behind their friend's back. That person was beautiful, if the term fitted for a boy. That person had a bright face, now perfectly faced Akira, as Akira's own face perfectly faced that person's.

That person gasped.

Akira was caught off-guard.

Their eyes had met, and it wouldn't be the last time it happened.

**…**

**…**

**…**

**Author's Note: **

**WHAT? You guys didn't know that February the 23****rd**** is this fic's birthday? Oh, please. And I thought you love it… Nyahahaha! Don't worry, I too only remembered after I posted the 4****th**** chapter, hehehe. **

The Festival part one!! …you seriously didn't think that I would leave out Waya and the gank, right? I love Waya, and Nase! And Fukui (but I don't know his given name, heee…), and of course Isumi! **Do anyone of you happen to know what's the color of Waya's hair and Fukui's given name? **Also, I'd be damned if Hikaru and Akira's "first meeting" is only that!** Oh, no, folks! There will be more in the next chapter. It will be innnnteeeeeense. (I intended to write it here; but I don't like long chapters because it would mean less one chapter's comments from you guys!) **

**I demand you to review as long as you please, because there's no love that can beat the love from you guys to authors in your reviews… ^__^ (**Valentine chocolate cookies for you if this doesn't make you dizzy~~**) **Sorry for the long notes! You can ignore it if you don't like it, honestly. See you next time!

**E.T.A: Ah, I forgot to mention… Anyone wants to be my beta? **

**E.T.A3: **Sorry, the first two edits actually only a mentioning of forgotten notes. After the Kanji and Japanese grammar tests I'll edit this for good, seriously. Because I think the Waya part is going too fast. Way more clues for you in the next chapter so stay with me. ^^** NOW REVIEW. Seriously, or I won't feel appreciated and may not give the next chapter to you faster.  
**


	6. The Wind of Closing Act

Er… nothing? I knew I've said that this chapter will come soon, but… things wre just not in the right mood. I'v neglecting you all, and I'm truly sorry for that… I cut all the nonsense that should be above so that we could go straight to the story anyway.

**Warning!!**Rather unavoidable OOCness will be here, ahoy! You who are brave enough not to mind that, go ahead!

Oh, right**: 14****th**** AND 15****th**** Chapter of Hikaru's Phoenix is available at Livejournal! **Check it out, guys, **harumi** did a very very wonderful job with her fic: every imagery it has, every depth of personality it has, and every plot line is awesome. Just to remind you guys, this is a fanfic to her fanfic, so… Read it, love it, and review it, okay? And please do the same with this fic too! ^^

**And of course....**

Very, very special thanks to **Lal Mirch** who have wasted some of her time to correct my mistakes. I know I made so many mistakes! w

Special thanks to every other of you who commented on the previous ones, I shall list your names and post it somehow. Maybe in the next chapter.

And so much love for you who have actually waited for this long. I don't know how to pay you all.

To be short, enjoy!

…

…

…

Hikaru stood frozen, still.

He could feel the wind touched him thoroughly, almost tickling, but he couldn't move his body at all. The wind was supposed to be chilly, but what he felt was a surge of warmth—no, it was much stronger, like a blazing fire ignited within his very soul, as he looked at a certain person in the back.

To Hikaru, people's aura felt like song. A musical scale. Though already used to it, he was always confused whenever he sensed a person's aura; it seemed like his sight and hearing sense were blending. He couldn't tell any longer whether he used his eyes to _hear _or his ears to sense. And this person's aura was very disturbing. It made Hikaru's swirl inside in turmoil, in chaotic sensation he was sure he had never felt before. And locking his eyes with that person's really didn't help, if not only worsening the sensation. He could directly see at the blue-green gaze…

"Shindou Hikaru!"

Hikaru was snapped back to reality and looked at the person calling him.

"Nase…" _Don't disturb me!_ Hikaru swallowed those words. "What's your problem?" he asked instead, slightly ticked off.

"People's are looking down, duh. Except you," Nase whispered, forcing Hikaru to look at her.

"What…?"

"And he forgets just like that," Nase rolled her eyes and sighed. "The audience are supposed to close their eyes and raise their hands to determine the winner, remember?"

Hikaru didn't understand; part of his mind couldn't give any effort to understand. He just had to find out why he had felt that way before. And no matter how reluctant he was he had to look at that person again…

"Winner for the dancing competition, hellooo…??"

Hikaru's senses automatically looking back, searching for the source of the sensation he just felt. .

From the corner of his eyes, Hikaru saw that person as he walked down and veiled by other audiences. He growled.

"Ne, Hikaru?" asked Fuku.

Hikaru turned his head to his friend, perhaps a bit too quickly. "Yes?"

"If you are friends with the last performers, why didn't you just greet them?"

"Er… Just between us, I'm not supposed to be here. I'm not even supposed to go out. I have to be invisible from people's eyes," Hikaru shushed. Fuku shrugged and closed his small eyes again, which didn't make much of a change from when his eyes were opened.

The representation of the jury came out and the group's name were shouted one by one to count the vote. Hikaru tried to stay still and focus on what he should have been doing.

But no. Like a fever, his senses kept coming back at that distant yet familiar aura he sensed. And because even now he could till sense it, although vaguely, his mind kept him from thinking anything else. Knowing that it was near changed almost everything within himself. In contrast to what he usually sensed, that people's aura seemed like musical notes, this particular—_blue green, like the person's eyes_—aura made Hikaru had the urge to _sing. _

_What!? I don't even know I **could** __sing_!!

Taking deep breath to calm down, he knew "sing" meant voicing out his own aura. But no, he couldn't do it. _Invincible, remember?_ Hikaru gritted his teeth. Almost unconsciously, he touched_ a small red stone pierced onto his ear_.

He closed his eyes until finally "The Great Kaga" was shouted by the MC. Then he ducked down very, very low and stuck out his hand up high. He could somehow feel other hands rose to the air, just like his. After a few minutes which were supposed to be the time to count for determining the winner, "The Great Kaga" was announced as the winner. It seemed that people around him were ecstatic. Hikaru forced out a smile in response to Fuku's grin to him, and luckily, neither of his new friends realized that something was wrong with him in the middle of this crowd. Inside, Hikaru was in turmoil.

_Shit. What happened to me?_

…

At the backstage, Akira frowned hard, gripped the hem of his onmyouji-suit tight. His grip was tight enough to feel pain in his fingers, but he almost felt numb all over his body.

_No, that's not the problem_, he frowned even harder. For the first time in his life, Akira didn't know what happened to himself. He didn't know what happened in his mind; in his body.

Akira groaned.

He did feel like he was in a colorful world when he was looking into that boy. Despite the dark night with little to less moonlight, he could see so many colors. He could see the green in the boy's dark eyes… He saw the sun in the boy's seemed-too-naturally bleached bangs… He saw the starry night was reflected in the boy's dark, black hair. He saw blue and gray and brown and green and every earth color at the boy's dull-colored clothes. No, not only the boy. He could see the differences between the peach yukata beside the boy's and the pink yukata beside that person's. He could see the distinct soft green radiance of moonlight, reflected on people's clothes, people's hair, and so many things else.

But that was it.

It wasn't like it was something incredible. Akira knew he had good sight. Well, maybe something in that boy's magical power enhanced his senses, but that was it and that was the reason why he was able to easily avert his gaze at the split second that boy was distracted. That was the reason why he could easily walk away from that scene, breaking whatever he had when he looked into that boy's eyes.

And yet, one step away brought him such unease. He thought it was the stage-anxiety, though he easily doubted he was nervous or anxious. It wasn't even something like pain. It was more like…

…emptiness. Like something, perhaps some part of Akira's very own soul was held by that boy, but Akira hadn't even known it before. And when he had known it, when he had found it, Akira felt incomplete.

And the more he thought about it, the more he felt uneasiness swallowing him. Up to this moment.

Clutched not only his clothes, but also the ever-glowing stone Akira struggled hard to calm down. He opened his inner mind to be able to concentrate. Slowly, he felt his senses were calming and backing down. He felt the nature soothing him. He felt the wind would bring humidity into the air, and perhaps sometime more, the short rain would come, only a small part of the spring rain that wouldn't stop before summer came.

See? Akira _did_ calm down.

He tried hard not to think that it was only a pretense. He tried hard not to sense people's aura in front of him.

He tried hard _not _to sense that boy's aura.

"And now, our honorable guest will exhibit the Dragon Dance."

Akira took a deep breath, felt that no voice disturbed him while he stepped out to the stage, and bowed. Standing up and keeping his inner mind open, he tried to calm himself once more.

His dance now began.

…

"And now, our honorable guest will exhibit the Dragon Dance," it was announced.

Then the "honorable guest" appeared and bowed.

Hikaru almost stood up at that very time and shouted. But he didn't.

"Here it comes, the mighty Meijin's son," Waya said, skeptically.

Isumi, knew Waya's attitude toward the son of Touya Meijin was almost as violent as Ochi's, only said, "I wonder how he would dance. He almost never shows in front of public, right?"

"Hmph, him and his arrogance," Waya retorted.

Without being asked, Fuku explained to Hikaru, "Waya doesn't like Touya Meijin's son that always politely bowed at us from behind either Ogata-sensei or Ashiwara-sensei or Touya Meijin. He thought Touya Meijin's son was arrogant. But I guess he was just jealous or something… Hikaru?"

Hikaru had stood up and walked away, intended to go around the spectators before he could watch that person's closer. "I, uh, want to go to bathroom!" Hikaru knew his excuse was pathetic, but as his new friends seemingly accepted the excuse, he ran towards his destination.

Circling around the spectators, behind a tree he could see several pair of dating person, holding hands or doing more, but nothing came to his mind. Then he saw a glint of light. Hikaru glanced at that directions a bit; someone's glasses was reflecting the moonlight. That someone seemed to be a rather short person, and Hikaru thought that the model if the someone's hair looked like Kappa's. Without the bald. Or maybe the bald was hidden. That Kappa-like person seemed content with his place to watch the stage. Hikaru also thought that it was not bad looking from here; the sight was clear.

But no, it wasn't close enough.

And so Hikaru ran more.

Near the stage, at the shadow of the trees, Hikaru could see three shadows and he gulped. Avoiding any risk, he turned to his right, coming near to the center of the front of the stage.

That person's dance had begun. Hikaru looked around him and thanked silently because everyone were standing up instead of sitting.

And he was even more thankful for the silence. He could see that person's dance with no distraction. But he wondered why it would be this silent… maybe the person's aura was that powerful?

Hikaru nodded, sure of his deduction.

Clearing away his thoughts, he saw the person's dance moves.

…

As he danced, Akira could feel that somehow, this was the way he _would_ move any day. He couldn't describe it, but it seemed like the dance re-_shaped_ his aura. In his sensitivity which was resulted from his opened inner mind, he could almost see the shape his aura was making. Waves, lines, scales… Until it was concentrated as a long, wavy shape that moved every time Akira moved, in harmony.

But on the other side, Akira felt so much anger and rage and power on his dance. And more than that, he felt so much sadness and longing and loneliness to the point it was unbearable. Without any reason, he could see his father stopping him from doing this dance anymore solely for this reason; for this unbearable sadness, and loneliness he had now.

He tried to feel the movement of the wind around him, the sound of shaken leaves at the tip of the trees. The scent of fresh rain still lingered around the place somehow; perhaps it was the smell of the incoming rain.

Somehow the thought made him felt even more sadness.

And so Akira opened his eyes, looking around without actually looking for anything.

Yet somehow, when he found a pair of eyes he had seen before, he knew it was something. He didn't know what something, but he knew a surge of relief filled his soul to the brim, and he never let eyes wandered elsewhere than to that colorful boy.

…

Hikaru amazed at how that pair of blue-green eyes was able to find his own dark green ones. But he could care less about it as he knew he would want to always have this beautiful sound that ringing, _pounding_ in his ears. That was why even if there was a huge earthquake, he would never let go of this eye contact.

Then, despite of his better judgment, with all his soul, he _sang_.

…

Tsutsui frowned. When looking around, he could see everyone frowned too. At first he didn't know why. He enjoyed the dance, which was even better than Kaga. But something disturbed him. Not only him; it disturbed them. All of them. All of the spectators.

Looking around, he finally noticed that something was wrong with his ears.

Someone had shrieked. He looked for that source of the shriek, noticing several people also doing the same thing. Then he found the person.

Tsutsui gasped.

"Shindou-kun!?"

…

"And what, does that idiot do there!?" Waya yelled silently, muffed by Isumi's hand.

"Hikaru… what're you doing?" Fuku muttered.

Isumi sighed, "He disturbs a great performance. I'm kind of disappointed in him."

"No," said Nase. "No, you guys. Open your inner mind. It was… I couldn't describe it, but…"

"What's wrong, Nase? You're trembling hard… do you have a fever?" Fuku asked her. Fuku reached out Nase's forehead to check if there was a fever or something.

Fuku's hand was pushed away by Nase. "No! No, I don't have a fever! Listen to me, you guys, you _have _to open your inner mind!"

Isumi held Nase's hand and said, "Okay, I'll do it. Do it, Waya, Fuku."

"What's wrong with you, geez!" Waya grumbled. Isumi gave him a look, and Waya groaned. "Okay, okay, fine."

Then just like Nase, the three of them opened their inner mind, and they knew what made Nase so panicked.

Waya grabbed Isumi's leg.

"This is…!"

…

Akira trembled, his whole body tensed. _What's… this?_

He swore he was sucked into the depth of the colorful boy's eyes. But this… this voice? It was inhumanely strong, pierced his soul to the core. And despite the sharpness and the strength, it also very soft, melodies couldn't be reached by any human.

His aura was somehow moving along with the voice, the song without him realizing it.

Never once their eyes let go of each other.

_Could it be that that boy is… Ho-ou!?_

_**...**_

_..._

_... _

**Author's Note:**

**Somehow I'm in a fluff mode when I wrote this, don't blame me. Just tell me if you want to get more of the fic, or you got tired reading all this nonsense. (hey, don't say that!) And don't mind the changing titles; I'm making experiments right now. **

**Err… it's not supposed to be this short, but seen as (I hope) many wants to get the update already, I'll split the parts. **

**Next chapter will have confrontations, and actual dialogue of Akira and Hikaru! ^_^ **

**I shall cut my blundering rants, so please give me your reactions to this belated update. Your reviews are the drops of water in the oasis of my real-life-desert!**


	7. The Wind of Change

**Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. To ****respect the creator ****though, I'll ****disclaim it like the first chapter:** Hikaru no Go belongs to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi. And Shonen Jump. I only borrowed (or stole?) the characters, and if I'm good, the characterizations. Another disclaimer belongs to Dephanie. Only Isora is mine. Imagine Sasaki Kojiro from FATE/Stay Night with a more stoic attitude, and all black clothings.

**Author's Note: **

**Also, as I said, many, many love and thanks to:**

**priestessmykala**

**serenamoonrose**

**Pokematic7 **

**Masked Reflection**

**KianaRia**

**Cross - The Damned Alchemist **

**zeynel **

**Lal Mirch- you are so special. Oh so special, my dear, dearest beta. :D**

**Pure Shikon **

**Lord Ma-koto Chaoying**

**StormBrsinger**

**kat - I don't even know you. You're the reason I posted the third chapter though! XD**

**primaaryet**

**Kurokari **

**Twinfetish - dearest Twiny**

**LittleNK**

**Aimi-chan **

**jajalang**

**Sparklillian **

**pixy**

**kayue**

**defianceobjectivity99**

**Black Cat**

...

**Many of you are even more remarkable authors than me, so I really love you to waste a bit of your time jusy by reading my fic. Thank you. Wholeheartedly. More people I want to say thanks to, you who make this story your in your favorite, or alerts. Really. **

Erm… maybe some of you have already known, but still. Suffix –dono (as far as I know), is really the same as suffix –sama, which is meant to show your respect. But –dono is more likely to be said by someone in the same level of importance or rank. Now, what did it say about Isora (or Akira, for that matters?)

Also, _aura_ is sensed, while _presence _is felt. Imagine your soul and your body, respectively. (I think)

Okay then, who am I to hold you even longer? Please read!

* * *

The applause was loud. And long, actually, but it was nothing that Akira could hear. His mind was preoccupied with something of importance.

Ho-ou. Ho-ou. Ho-ou.

There were so many questions laid inside Akira's mind. Why would he care so much about that one particular mythical creature, about that one of three legendary gods? Was it because he was an onmyouji? Or perhaps… it was because of the secret that his father and Isora hid? Akira thought he should know the secret. He would've known. It was only… he couldn't recall what it was. It was the very same thing with the dream of someone—of Sai that he couldn't grasp.

Panting, Akira knew he had spent almost every last bit of his strength to the full dance. But his blood sang and he didn't feel tired at all. And Akira's thoughts kept coming back to that boy. The colorful young man he suddenly met at this festival. That boy had long stopped his singing, way before Akira finished his dance. Then several people grabbed him, more people came defending him, and because they disturbed the audience, they went away, to the shade of trees at the small forest, west of the stage.

When the boy sang, Akira knew he felt so… he didn't know. Perhaps nostalgic? There was nothing, nothing special about the boy's aura, which made Akira wondered if the boy really the Ho-ou as he suspected. So why did he actually shed tears as he danced and the boy sang?

And Akira cried, God. Akira wasn't ashamed to admit that he did cry. It was something beyond his power to control. Akira knew his tears couldn't be seen by anyone who didn't look deep enough to his eyes, because his face didn't give a clue about his emotions. And so, only that boy knew he cried.

And now, politeness be damned, he was pissed as hell. He couldn't. Sense. That boy's aura. He couldn't feel the boy's presence either.

Akira recalled his memories carefully, but no, he had never actually recognized the boy's aura. Even when their eyes first met or when the boy sang, it was his presence that Akira felt. Not his aura.

And so, Ashiwara-san looked at him proudly or not, hundreds pair of eyes watched his every step or not, hands wanted to congratulate him or not, he ignored them and walked towards the small forest without hesitation.

* * *

_Before…_

Hikaru's blood was boiled. He was in such a condition he had never felt before, not as long as he could remember.

That was why he didn't care when several people, three actually, came reaching him and receiving no reaction from him. He didn't realise even a thing when more people came straight to him.

The only thing which mattered to the world was how Hikaru could always look at that green silky hair, glowing under the moonlight. Or how he could sing forever. Because it was not his mouth, not his lips, not his voice that sang. It was his soul, his very existence, in this life and beyond, way, way long ago, when he had live as something else.

_Why that person, though?_

Hikaru knew his purpose, knew what he had to find. And this was not it. That person was not the one he had to find.

_It felt so right, though_.

Then Hikaru realised his cheeks were hot. Aching. And so his song and his eye contact with that person on the stage were disrupted.

He glared, hand reaching to his cheeks. When his eyes could finally focus, he could see red hair right in front of him.

_Wait… this red?_

"Ka—Kaga!?"

Kaga, right in front of him, smirked and huffed. "Good. The brat's come back to his senses! Let go of my hand!" Kaga then forced his hands to be released from Waya's grips.

He also noticed Waya's face, his hands were meant to force Kaga's hands backed away from Hikaru.

"Shindou-kun, what have you done?"

_This voice…_ Hikaru looked at his right side. A pair of glasses looked worried straight at him. "Tsutsui?" He also looked to his left, looking at the unruly orange hair. "Mitani?"

"Isumi-san? Nase? Fuku?" Hikaru strange-looked them. "Why are you all here?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know what you did, brat!" Kaga shouted at him.

Hikaru winced. "It's… what?"

"Hey, hey… I think we need to go to some place less crowded?" Isumi asked. Tsutsui, warily, nodded.

And so Hikaru was dragged. Waya, Isumi, Nase and Fuku were all following him.

Kaga never let him looked back.

**. ****. ****. ****. ****.**

Finally they were in the small forest west of the stage. Kaga released his grip from Hikaru.

He felt his feet were shaking weakly. So Hikaru sat on the forest ground.

"Now, speak up, brat," Kaga demanded him.

Hikaru looked into Kaga's eyes daringly. "I don't know why or what I should speak of."

"You were abruptly ruining such a grand performance, you know," Mitani finally spoke. He stood by a tree, his arms were crossing.

"Was not!" Hikaru cried.

"Shindou-kun, I don't know if you should even be here…" said Tsutsui.

"Tsutsui-san…"

"You know," Waya finally lose his patience. He was going to follow where the conversation would end, but it seemed like it wasn't going anywhere, so he interrupted. "I think you commoners shouldn't judge something you know nothing about."

"What do you mean?" Tsutsui asked. He pushed his eye glasses to the crook of his nose again.

"Wait, Tsutsui." Kaga's hands made a barrier between Tsutsui and Waya's groups. "Who are you guys anyway?" he looked accusingly at the boys (and a girl in front of him).

Waya looked smug and grinned. His eyes glared to his three companions and they understood what he meant.

Fuku crossed his hands, Nasa winked and her fingers made a V sign near her eyes, and Waya's hands were already on his waist. They stood close with each other. Isumi sweatdropped but followed them anyway.

"We are onmyouji!" Waya grinned. "That makes you a commoner. Ha!"

"Why do we have to do this…" Isumi whispered, but loud enough for all to hear anyway.

Kaga, out of his habit, didn't release his anger or something. He somehow a bit forgot his usually big ego at the moment. "Onmyouji or not, this is not your problem."

"No, you're wrong. First, you don't know half of what you accused of Shindou and second, Shindou is our friend. Right, Shindou?" Waya looked at Hikaru, but the latter didn't budge. His eyes weren't focused. "Shindou?"

For a moment, no one made any sound. All eyes looked at the young man they were talking about.

That moment felt so long but it was just a few seconds, until Hikaru finally breathed out and said, "Yeah. …yeah, they're my friends, Kaga."" He saw Waya nodded before turning his face back to Kaga. "The round one is Fuku, the girl is Nase, this is Waya, and the tall one is Isumi-san." Then Hikaru looked at Waya, saying, "He is Kaga, the glasses one is Tsutsui-san, and the one over there is Mitani. They are also my friends."

Somehow no one noticed that only Tsutsui and Isumi's names which were said by Hikaru with suffixes.

"Still, you brat. What did you do before? Why?" Kaga asked. His tone wasn't as harsh as before. He admitted silently that he had accused Hikaru without knowing the problem was.

"I don't know, Kaga. I just… sing."

Kaga snorted. "From what I heard, it was more like a shriek of a ghost."

"It's because you are not trained to open your inner mind, you commoner," said Waya. "He did sing, but you won't understand." Waya wouldn't understand either if Nase didn't insist at them to open their inner mind and Isumi told them to do so. But he didn't mention it. No need to.

"But why did he do it? Why did you do it, Shindou-kun?" Tsutsui asked them.

"The reason is only known to Shindou," said Waya. He didn't have a clue about it. His friends were all the same.

Tsutsui looked at Hikaru.

"I don't know… it was on a whim?" Hikaru tried to smile sheepishly. It looked like he cringed painfully.

"I think you have to rest at home, Shindou-kun," said Tsutsui.

Hikaru now truly cringed. He didn't like house-arrest. Being had to rest at home for so many hours was the same in his dictionary.

Kaga sighed. "Well, I guess this is this, huh? Tsutsui is right. You have to go back, you brat."

Many thoughts passed Hikaru's mind at the time. He had to come back to that place. No, he shouldn't. He had to go back, rest well, then continued collecting information of _that_ which he had to find. But he couldn't leave this place. What he had been looking for could make him complete, but in the oddest way, he _felt_ complete then, when he was singing and looking at the other's dance.

He knew he had to go back.

_But go back where?_

"I…"

"WAIT!"

All eyes looked at the direction of the voice.

There, stood the person who was doing the Dragon Dance before.

Hikaru didn't even know that person's name at that time.

* * *

Akira panted and barely got a hold of himself by leaning on his knees.

After two or three deep breaths he took, he stood fully on his feet, regaining composure as he usually did, and gazed at several people in front of him. They slightly winced, but Akira didn't know why, nor did he understand that his "gaze" was such a sharp and pressuring look to the others.

The only thing that Akira realised was how relieved he was when his eyes finally caught that one's presence. Finally he could feel that young man's presence.

Akira closed his eyes, tried to focus and answer his suspicion before; and he was right.

He could feel the aura of 4 onmyouji—still trainee if he was right, tinted with mythical feeling, most likely from their unusual bloodline. Then again, it was not something uncommon among the people who learned the art of onmyoudo. And then a strong aura filled the air, rough and sharp like uncut gem. But it wasn't from an onmyouji. He also felt the other two auras; one sharp like it was full of thorn, one composed as lake water—although it was a bit disturbed at the moment.

But Akira couldn't feel that particular person's aura. He could even feel this forest's aura, old and green, but why couldn't he feel that person's? It was like that person's aura was blending to his surroundings.

Why a person who had such a strong presence had such a transparent aura? Was it possible? He had never known of that combination before, although he had known of the opposite. Like Sai; no presence, but with inhumanely strong aura. But perhaps it was only because Sai showed up in his dream.

Once again the wind blew the clouds which covered the moon. He could see clearly, and amazingly colorfully.

_Ahh… so this is the effect of having his presence near me._

"You… why…? No… just who are you really? Have we met before?" Akira asked. He walked; each step brought him closer to that person.

That person seemed hesitating between, Akira suspected, running away and something else. Oh, no. He wouldn't let that person go away.

Just three steps more…

"I—"

…when Akira suddenly felt that impossible aura. It was so small and unnoticeable, like an ignited flame of a candle. But Akira couldn't mistake this aura with someone else's. He would never.

Akira grabbed that person's shoulder and shook it rough.

"Sai? Are you Sai!?"

* * *

Waya looked at that infamous Meijin's son lost his control and grabbed Shindou's shoulder. Something about that sneaky arrogant bastard ticked him off, more so when that person disturbed his friends like now.

And so Waya grabbed Akira's left arm in turn. "What are you doing, oh the infamous Meijin's son, Touya Akira-sama?"

Akira just snapped his arms back and didn't care about Waya at all. He shook Shindou again, while demanding him to say something. Oddly, Shindou looked like he shut himself after hearing the name that Touya said. What was it again? Sai?

"Don't treat Shindou like that!" Waya stopped Touya's shaking once again.

Akira finally looked at him then asked, "Shindou?"

_Don't they know each other?_

"Yeah, Shindou Hikaru. My friend. I thought you know each other."

"No, I… I think I just met him here," said Touya. Waya frowned. How odd.

Finally, Shindou opened his mouth. The first thing he said was, "No. I don't know any Sai."

Waya looked at Isumi who looked concerned. The way Shindou said that line sounded like it was an obvious lie. Waya thought it was an obvious lie, and he noticed that Touya might have thought the same.

"It's impossible!" Touya shouted while shaking his head. (At this, Waya almost wondered if Touya did that to show off his hair. Hm.) "It's almost unnoticeable, but it _is_Sai's aura! You must be some… some kind of his reincarnation, aren't you!?"

Shindou didn't budge a bit for a while. He forced his eyes to be shut tight, and didn't response on anything Touya said. His fingers, however, almost unconsciously touched a red earring on his left ear.

"No. I said, I don't know any Sai!" Shindou insisted when he finally talked. Touya also insisted that Shindou had to have known the person named Sai. Waya was confused as to why that name was so important to Touya—and most likely, his instincts told him, to Shindou too.

It seemed weird that no one else interfered with Touya's advance. He did have some charismatic aura which made people lost all desire to startle him though.

Then suddenly a man showed up from thin air, right behind Touya. He was dressed in all black. His yukata, his obi; everything. Even his hair was black and long, and tied into a ponytail with an—again—black tie.

"Isora!?"

Oh, so the son of the Meijin knew that man.

The man called Isora bowed with respect towards all of the other people beside Touya and Shindou, before he said, "Akira-dono. I think if you prolong your stay here, you will worry everyone else."

"I don't care about everyone else!" Touya glared. Now, wasn't that something new? Waya never knew that the infamous son of Meijin could lash out his emotions in front of public like that.

If he thought about it now, today sure was full of surprises.

"You do care. And because of that, I will see you go back, Akira-dono," said Isora.

Waya could whistle at that time. Someone actually used a polite directive voice to the son of the Meiji. Just who was that person?

The moon was somehow covered once again. Waya looked up to the night sky. Why, so suddenly, did a rain cloud show up?

"You need to control yourself, Akira-dono."

Touya looked a bit ashamed for a second. Then he faced Shindou again. "Hm, it seems you won't say anything this time. Fine, do as you wish. We'll go back, Isora."

Touya released Shindou then, turned around, and walked without looking back. All those were just in a blink of eye.

"Wait!" Shindou shouted.

* * *

Hikaru trembled. He didn't know if his body showed it, but he knew what exactly was in his mind: chaos.

_Why… why would anyone know of Sai? It's supposed to be me, the only one to know about his existence!_

It might be someone else with the same name, Hikaru consistently insisted in his mind. But he knew he was just deceiving himself. It was no coincidence that that name was thrown onto his face.

He had to face it.

He had to know what the connection was between Sai and that person—_Touya, right?_—in front of him.

And so, once again, louder than before, he shouted:

"Wait!"

* * *

Akira stopped. He didn't know why. He wanted to go away from that place. If that person—_Shindou, wasn't it?_—didn't have the answer of who Sai was, he didn't have any business there then.

"If… if I know Sai, what do you want from him?" Shindou stammered, but his voice reached Akira's ears so clearly.

Sai… That's right, what was it again? Why was he almost obsessed with Sai?

_It was just a dream_, Akira thought. He didn't even remember what the dream was about. It was just a vaguely remembered figure, wearing a full onmyouji costume, and a whispered name: Sai.

But it was not only that, right?

That heavily pressuring aura couldn't be of human's. It was a lot sharper than his father's but also a lot gentler. Akira was completely surrounded by that warmth of the aura, just like being covered by blanket. A hot and a very thick one, that.

But the most important thing was Akira's own instinct.

Just as he was sure he could hold the gem on his neck anytime, the one which was called the Tide Jewel by Isora_, he was sure that Sai held a very important thing about who—what—no,__who he really was._Sai might be the key to the secret that Isora and his father always hid from him.

_Or perhaps __Sai is the secret itself?_

Akira wasn't sure about that, but he knew he had to find out. And he would.

"You said 'if'. Then you don't really know about him. If that's the case, then you don't have any business with him," Akira's glare was scorching.

Shindou frowned and didn't say anything.

**. ****. ****. ****. ****.**

The thing was, Akira didn't remember anything at all about the real reason why he chased Shindou to that forest in the first place. He even ignored anyone beside himself and Shindou. Determination filled his eyes; his old desperation to find out what was the hidden secret was coming back to the surface. He forgot about everything else.

But of course, as the green moon was shining brightly, making his hair shone green,

Akira didn't realise how close he was to what was the answer of his real question.

No wonder though, because at that time, he didn't even know what that real question was.

In the forest, Hikaru touched his red earring.

_Sai…_

His eyes were glowing dark green, reflecting the color somewhere.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX**

The End

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX**

**Author's Note (edit Jan 26, 2013)**

I am solemnly continuing this. :)


	8. Interlude: A New Arc Will Commence

**Interlude: The Second Arc Will Commence**

Hello, fellow Hikaru no Go followers. I hope many of you are still around.

It has been more than almost four years since I posted the seventh chapter with humorless joke, failed troll at the end of this story, but I decided to polish my writing again and continue this story. I know my grammar and vocabulary and pacing and everything still needed a lot of work, but we shall see how they have improved in the span of time. I deleted my backups, and thus the plot- and the story telling, will be developed from the scratches and scrapes I still have somewhere in my memories.

To be short, see you in an update? :)


End file.
